DARTMOUTH — Dartmouth Police Department issued a scam alert concerning a viral social media post about a supposedly missing and endangered child.
The post, which has been circulating online, contains varying details about the child’s location and time of disappearance, tailored to resonate with people in different areas.
Authorities have confirmed that the post is not genuine and is a tactic used by scammers to exploit people’s compassion.
Typically, these scammers use images of children or injured animals to elicit an emotional response and encourage sharing the post widely.
As the fabricated alert spreads, the scammers will often edit the original message to include a link.
The unsuspecting individuals who shared the post may not notice the change, making their friends and followers more likely to click on the link, believing it to be from a trusted source.
However, following the link can lead to personal information being compromised.
The Dartmouth Police Department advises the public to be cautious with posts appealing to emotions and to verify the authenticity of any such missing person or emergency situation before sharing or clicking on links.
They also recommend reporting suspicious posts to the social media platforms and local authorities to help prevent the spread of these scams.
