Scammers Contact Orillia Woman Searching for Escaped Conure Named Noodle

A small, vividly coloured conure named Noodle flew out of Tiffany Jones' Oxford Street home on February 3, 2026 at about 3:30 p.m., and the search for the bird quickly turned into a warning about scams targeting vulnerable owners. After posting pleas on social media, Jones says she was contacted by someone claiming to have found Noodle, but the messages came from a suspicious phone number and the contact demanded money before providing any address or details.

Jones has owned Noodle for about six months. The bird is described as having "black feathers on its head that fade into blue along his neck," with a body "mostly green, with orange and red across his chest." Jones says Noodle is friendly, responds to his name, knows basic tricks and "is a significant source of comfort and companionship." She said "He’s never tried to get out before" and that "I don’t know if something startled him or if he saw something when I opened the door. It happened so fast, I didn’t have any reaction time."

When the person who messaged her claimed a friend’s mother had Noodle and intended to keep him, Jones asked for an address to retrieve the bird. Instead of details, the person allegedly demanded money. Jones, who previously worked for a mobile phone company and says she recognized several red flags, described the exchange this way: "When you are emotional and desperate to get your pet back, I guess that’s the perfect time for someone to target you." She added, "It really got my hopes up at first. Then it turned into, ‘Aren’t you going to give me money for my kindness?’ It just felt wrong." The interaction left Jones shaken and she told reporters, "I just want him back."

A supplied photo of Noodle is available to help with recognition. Jones is asking the community to keep an eye out and to reach out if anyone has a sighting. No identifying information about the person who contacted Jones has been made public, and there is no mention that police were contacted in the reporting.

Verify any offers to return a found pet before sending money. Do not send funds without seeing the animal and confirming identity. Consider arranging returns at a public place such as a veterinary clinic or police station, and report suspicious messages to local authorities. For now, the focus remains on finding Noodle and supporting an owner left grieving and vigilant after a painful loss and a distressing attempt to exploit it.