BBC Investigation: Ugandan Scammers Abuse Dogs to Elicit Donations Online
A BBC investigation has exposed a network in Uganda that staged abuse and fake rescue videos of dogs to draw online donations from animal lovers worldwide. The operators built emotional clips to push small payments through donation links.
A long-running BBC investigation has exposed a network operating in Uganda that deliberately harmed dogs and then filmed staged rescue videos for social media. The clips routinely racked up millions of views on Facebook and TikTok and channelled traffic to online donation links.
Reporters captured phone calls in which organisers offered to commission a custom 'rescue' video for a small upfront payment. Investigators say the resulting flow of small donations moved through international payment providers and proved difficult to trace.
Ugandan animal welfare groups and the local police said they began acting on the BBC's findings. Lists of videos sent to Meta and TikTok have been pulled down and the authorities say verification rules for fundraising platforms will be tightened.
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