A woman has been charged in connection with eight incidents of alleged pet fraud in Angus and the north-east.
Police say the cases involved cats being advertised for sale online.
The offences allegedly took place between November and December last year.
Police Scotland has confirmed the 32-year-old woman, who is from the Aberdeen area, will appear in court at a later date in connection with alleged offences in Aberdeen, south Aberdeenshire, Moray and north Angus.
Police ‘committed to tackling cyber crime’
A force spokesperson said: “Officers are committed to continue to tackle cyber-enabled criminality.
“While the use of the internet to facilitate financially-motivated crime can give alleged criminals a false sense of security, we recognise the impact this type of crime has on our communities.
“Police Scotland will pursue those responsible for committing cyber-enabled crime and deal with them appropriately.”
Advice for victims of crime
Officers say if you believe you have been a victim of crime, or have information in relation to criminality, you can:
- Contact Police on 101 or by using “contact us” form on the Police Scotland website
- Report anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.
- Get and give information about crime anonymously though Fearless which is a dedicated young person’s charity.