Cornelia Police say they are “getting slammed” with questions about missing persons being posted and shared on Facebook.
“Unless the post comes from an official Law Enforcement page it’s probably a scam,” a department news release says. “Most of these posts originate on yard sale pages. These posts are scams! Please don’t click on them or share them.”
That warning is echoed by this from Consumer Affairs:
“Some Facebook posts go viral. When the subject is moving or emotional, users often share it with their friends.
Scammers have now figured that out and have devised a sophisticated scheme to get unsuspecting Facebook users to do their bidding. They are creating posts about an event or news story designed to tug at your heartstrings.
“Please share this with your friends so that more people are aware,” the scammer might write. So you do.
But when shared, the post changes completely. Your Facebook friends don’t see the post about the lost dog. Instead, they see a post about a bogus scheme designed to scam more victims. But because you shared it, your friends think you are endorsing it.
If you’re friends think you are endorsing the scheme, they may be inclined to share it with their friends, helping the scammer to reach more potential victims.”