A "distraught" mum has issued a warning after she was targeted during a "difficult time" when her family cat went missing.
On October 6, four-year-old Alby went missing from his home on Altmoore Road in Huyton. Being the family pet and Carrie Morgan's "first baby", a frantic search began to reunite the family.
But more than ten days later, Alby has still not been found, or seen anywhere. Having appealed on social media, created posters and walking around the community, Carrie said he had "vanished".
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The nightmare continued when over the weekend she got a call to say her beloved Alby had been found and was waiting at a vets in Norris Green. But what she thought would be a happy ending, was a "cruel act". She told the ECHO: "I got a call from a no caller ID, I don't normally answer these but I was with Alby missing.
"It was a man who said he was from a vet in Norris Green and said he had good news, Alby had been found and handed in. He asked me to confirm my address and postcode which I did and asked if I could pick him up at 3pm.
"At this point I was crying with relief thanking this man for finding Alby. He said could I pay a £5 deposit for an emergency appointment, which would be refundable. Obviously I was frantic with joy so gave him my details and I even asked if I could give a donation for keeping Alby safe overnight.
"He said the payment declined and could I try again and then said I could pay when we got there. I was over the moon so ran back for my partner and baby and went straight the vets."
However, on her way, Carrie said she received a call from another male, advising they were from her bank's fraudulent team and that a number of fraudulent payments had been attempted, including £300 at CEX payment, £700 at a children's boutique and £70 on eBay. After stating this was not her, Carrie was told the card would be cancelled and a new one sent to her.
But upon her arrival at the vets to collect Alby, she was soon met with "blank expressions" as a cat matching his description had in fact not been found. She added: "They said they would never ask for a deposit. At this point it still hadn't clicked.
"I got back to the car and my partner said more money had been taken from the joint account, £30 in Dominoes and £77 for karting. I then called the microchip company to see if Alby had been scanned but they told me he hadn't and at this point it all clicked.
"I'd been scammed. I was absolutely distraught. I contacted Monzo through the app and they advised they hadn't called me, my card hadn't been cancelled and I had in fact been getting phone calls from the scammer so I wouldn't contact the bank."
Thankfully, having been fully refunded by the bank, Carrie is urging others to remain vigilant. Her beloved Alby remains missing as she says anyone with information to please contact 0800 432 0340 or info@animalsearchuk.co.uk.
She told the ECHO: "I'm utterly heartbroken that my beloved pet who I thought I was going to be reunited with, is still missing. I have been scammed through being so vulnerable and desperate to get Alby back. I am truly heartbroken that some people would play on people going through such a difficult time and use it to their benefit.
"How can people be so evil? People need to be careful, don't just presume people are who they say they are. I'm usually clued up on these things but they got me good, I don't know how they knew all my details. I'd advise people to put the phone down and call the place they claim to be from.
"I'm devastated, he was my first baby, it's not like him. I've got no closure, it's just a living nightmare. I know people say he's just a cat, they do these things but it's not like him."
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