SPCA Canterbury has issued a warning about fraudulent phone calls targeting pet owners across New Zealand.

Scammers are impersonating SPCA staff and veterinarians, claiming to have found lost pets.

The callers demand payments of several hundred dollars over the phone, falsely claiming it is required to retrieve the animals.

The organisation has clarified that these individuals are not affiliated with SPCA.

It reiterated that it would never request payment in such a manner.

SPCA Canterbury is urging the public not to engage with these scammers or provide any payments.

Victims or those receiving similar calls are advised to report the incidents to Netsafe, a service that handles online and phone-based fraud.

Netsafe’s guidance on scams can be found on their website.

Pet owners are encouraged to share this information to ensure others are not deceived.