A woman aiming to raise money for the local charity that rescued her pet after it was held ransom has been offered a helping hand by a Salford venue.
Linda Tonge is aiming to raise £750 at Boothstown British Legion for Greater Manchester Lost Dog Search and Rescue, which saved her from being scammed out of £2,000 after her dog disappeared.
Linda’s 12-year-old Yorkshire terrier, Lulu, went missing for two nights from her home in Tyldesley, near Bothstown, in 2022.
During this uncertain and frightening period, Linda was contacted by a man who claimed to have abducted Lulu and was demanding £2,000 for her safe return.
Linda believed the only way she could be reunited with her pet was to cooperate with the criminal claiming to have taken her dog. She explained that the person was a scammer who had used details she posted online to convince her that a dognapping had taken place.
She said: “I honestly believed he had my dog – I really did. He described her after getting the information about Lulu’s appearance from my social media posts and wanted £2,000 off me.”
The perpetrator told Linda that she would never see Lulu again if she contacted the police. Thankfully, before she paid the money, he was caught.
“He’s in prison now. They prosecuted him because he tried to scam about 18 people,” she highlighted.
Linda’s story reached many when she and Lulu were interviewed on BBC Breakfast and the Jeremy Vine show. Linda was able to tell her traumatic story and raise awareness about the risks of scammers, who prey on vulnerable people missing their pets to make quick cash.
She said: “I think the reason why people appreciate the story was that there was a happy ending. It was also great to be able to warn people.”
The Greater Manchester Lost Dog Search and Rescue team helped find Lulu and has worked to reunite families across Salford with their lost pets. It is run by a team of dedicated volunteers and has been struggling to make ends meet.
In an effort to raise funds for the charity that saved Lulu, Linda will be hosting a Soul and Motown event on November 28 in the Boothstown British Legion, which has given her the venue for free, with DJ Trevor, who is not charging for his time either.
Every £5 taken on the door will be going to the charity. Linda aims to raise around £750 and will be organising a raffle to raise more.
More information is available from Greater Manchester Lost Dog Search and Rescue
