Calaveras County Animal Services is warning residents about fraudulent Facebook comments promoting purported shelter T-shirts. The shelter says it does not solicit T-shirt purchases through Facebook comments.
The comments tagged Facebook users and urged them to buy fake merchandise, according to MyMotherLode's Aug. 25, 2026 report. Residents should avoid the links and verify any offer through official county channels.
Table of Contents
- What happened on Facebook?
- How can residents recognize the scam?
- What should you do before buying?
- What if you clicked or paid?
What happened on Facebook?
Bogus accounts posted comments connected to Calaveras county Animal Services, often called CCAS, and tagged potential buyers. The comments directed users toward purported CCAS shirts.
Supporters alerted the shelter. Animal Services then reported the accounts and removed the spam comments, MyMotherLode reported.
How can residents recognize the scam?
A T-shirt sales pitch in a Facebook comment does not match the shelter's stated practice. This remains true when the comment uses the agency's name or appears near legitimate shelter content. Treat these signs as warnings:.
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- An unfamiliar account tags you in a merchandise offer.
- A comment urges you to follow a purchase link.
- The seller claims to represent CCAS without confirmation through a county channel.
- The payment request or seller cannot be verified outside Facebook.
What should you do before buying?
Do not reply to the comment or use its link.
Instead, independently contact Animal Services at (209) 754-6509 or visit the official Calaveras County Animal Services website. This separate check matters because an official-looking name or image does not establish that an account represents the county. Use contact information you find through the county website, not details supplied by the suspected seller.
What if you clicked or paid?
Stop communicating with the account and report the post or profile through Facebook. If you provided payment information, contact the relevant bank or payment provider promptly and ask what protective steps are available. The Federal Trade Commission warns that social-media scammers may impersonate legitimate organizations.
Fake purchase links can be used to take money or personal information, so consumers should verify sellers outside the platform, avoid risky payment demands and report fraud. The available local report does not identify a seller, purchase website, price, number of victims or confirmed financial losses. Residents should not assume that an unrelated T-shirt seller was involved without further evidence.
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