Butler County woman reports losing $2,500 in scam involving buying a cat online

Efforts to purchase a cat online left a woman scammed out of more than $2,500 with what she paid for the cat and what was supposed to be a shipping company to deliver the cat to her.

She went to the Oxford Police Department to make a fraud/theft report at 1:34 p.m. March 20.

The victim told the officer she had purchased a cat online for $1,240 and received a contract. The cat was supposed to have been sent to a shipping company for delivery. She was then contacted by the shipping company, identifying itself as United Safe Shippers, and told to pay an additional fee of $1,475 which she did using the Zelle App.

The cat was not delivered at the promised time and she then received another request for money, this time for $1,290 for a “City Permit” but declined to pay that and then began questioning the entire purchase.

She said she went to her bank and they were unable to cancel or refund any money. She checked with her vet, who had never heard of anything like this either. She wanted to report the situation since no one was able to help her. She provided the officer with documents showing payment and communication with the companies she felt had scammed her.

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