A family whose cat went missing in Hot Springs was later extorted out of more than $200 by a scammer who claimed to have found the pet, authorities said.
The family, who live in Minnesota but are staying in Hot Springs for live thoroughbred horse racing at Oaklawn Park, lost the cat last month from the stable gates area in the horse-racing facility, the Hot Springs Sentinel-Record reported Thursday.
On Monday, a man claimed by text message to have the cat in Little Rock and said he needed $65 in gas money to bring it back to Hot Springs, the paper reported.
The man continued to ask for more money and threatened to keep the cat if he didn't receive it, the newspaper reported, noting the victims sent him $225 in all.
The scammer later cut off contact with the family when members asked for a photo of the missing pet, a young, neutered orange-and-white cat named Orange Orange.
No arrests have been made.