Facebook child scam hits local pages

Wausau Pilot & Review

Scams involving fake posts about missing or abandoned children are once again making the rounds in central Wisconsin, with the latest caution coming from the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department.

The department is warning the public about the scam after learning about a Facebook post on the Shawano County Classifieds page that falsely claimed police found an abandoned newborn. Officials are asking the public not to share or spread those types of posts – and say one major red flag is that the post was shared on a classified page.

So, what’s the harm?

The scam works like this. You see a Facebook post about a missing child, so you share it. More and more people share the post who want to help find the child. Eventually, the post is shared hundreds or even thousands of times. When this happens, the scammer edits the post to show a scam with phishing links, often an ad for a rental property or survey for cash prizes.

The swapped posts you’ve shared then pave the way for fraudsters who want to steal money or personal information, according to the Better Business Bureau. What’s more, these posts can take away from law enforcement resources.

Not all posts about missing children are scams, but there are some telltale signs in the post that can help social media users identify a potential fraud.

For instance, these posts are found in groups that are public, and the original poster will turn the comments off so no one can ask questions about the “missing” child.

Another step to take is to check out the poster’s profile. How new is the profile and how many friends does the person have? Look at their location information as well. Many “missing” posts are copied and pasted with only the location changed, so if you aren’t sure, see if the post shows up in other locations.

Typically, the posts are vague and do not list an exact area where the so-called missing child was last seen. If a child is reported missing from the area, check with trusted news sources as well as social media accounts of local law enforcement agencies to see if they are reporting a missing child.

Better Business Bureau representatives say scammers are “sharing these posts in legitimate groups, putting not only the group members but also their friends at risk.”

If you discover a potential fake post, do not share it. Instead, report it to Facebook.