Scammers take to Craigslist to demand ransom for lost pets

BUCKEYE, AZ -- Scammers are using Craigslist to demand a ransom for lost dogs.

KTVK-3TV reports that officials are looking into what has been dubbed the "lost dog scam." A recent case involves an Arizona woman named Amy Gonzales, whose Chihuahua named "Red Dog", escaped after slipping through the back fence several weeks ago.

Gonzales spent days scouring the neighborhood for her dog. She placed pictures of him on Craigslist after putting up fliers around her neighborhood. She later received a call from a man saying he had her dog after spotting the ad on Craigslist. He called back earlier this week and asked Gonzales for $500.

The Phoenix Police Department reports that Gonzales is the third dog owner to contact police about a stranger demanding a ransom for lost dogs.

"Once that you admit you have someone's property, you can't hold that property for ransom. That becomes extortion," Phoenix Police Officer James Holmes told KTVK-3TV.

The Phoenix Police Department tells KTVK-3TV that they still don't know if the suspect actually has the dogs.