In this regard, the city council appeals to “anyone who receives suspicious contacts not to make payments and to immediately report the attempted fraud to the Public Security Police”.

According to the Lisbon municipality, the fraudulent scheme has been registered “in recent weeks”, with “several citizens” who reported the disappearance of their animals on online platforms being “contacted by individuals who, posing as CAL professionals, claim that the animal has been found, undergone treatment or surgery, and is available for return upon payment via MBWay or Multibanco reference”.

In response to this fraud targeting owners of missing animals, the Lisbon City Council clarifies that “CAL does not request payments, via MBWay or Multibanco reference, for the purpose of returning animals.”

“When an animal is found with electronic identification, the owner is contacted directly by CAL. Any payment due is made exclusively at the time of return, in person, and according to the values ​​established in the 2025 Municipal Price and Other Revenue Table, available at https://www.lisboa.pt/fileadmin/info_administrativa/normativas/taxas_precos/TPORM_2025.pdf,” informs the municipality.

In a statement, the Lisbon City Council also affirms that this fraudulent practice has caused “harm to several citizens” and generates confusion regarding the functioning of the CAL institution.

In light of this fraud, the municipality informs that it will assess, together with the competent authorities, the appropriate steps for reporting and investigating the situation.

Lusa news agency questioned the Lisbon City Council about how many complaints it had received from owners of missing animals affected by this fraud, but it was not possible to obtain this information.

The Lisbon municipal animal ombudsman, Pedro Emanuel Paiva, told Lusa that he was unaware of the situation.

Operating as the official collection centre for stray animals in the city, the Casa dos Animais de Lisboa (CAL) promotes the capture and treatment of stray animals, carries out actions to reduce abandonment, and encourages responsible adoption.