RCMP NL is warning residents of a type of scam currently in circulation where scammers are using Facebook to share fake missing persons posts in the hopes of gaining access to personal information.
These posts are commonly circulated through various buy and sell Facebook pages and often say that there is a missing person, specifically a child or a police officer, in the area where the buy and sell group is located. These types of fake posts are very common around North America and have been appearing in many buy and sell groups in the province. An image of a recent such post is attached.
These fake posts are often used to collect Facebook users' information. Every time you share the post or comment on it the scammer may gain access to your Facebook account information, including your friends list. This information can then be used for other ill-intended purposes such as cloning an account and attempting to scam your friends.
These types of posts can be reported to Facebook. The three small '…' up in the right-hand corner of the post will provide this opportunity. Do not even comment on it that it is fake!
Valid missing persons investigations will be posted on legitimate law enforcement social media platforms by your local police.
Please help us spread the word on by speaking with family and friends, especially seniors, who may not be aware of these types of scams.