Medicine Hat police say this post circulating online is false and a scam, and are asking members of the public to report it to Facebook's admin team.--HANDOUT PHOTO
newsdesk@medicinehatnews.com
An online post that depicts the Medicine Hat Police Service searching for one of its female members is false and a scam that is attempting to spread misinformation as well as gain personal information.
The scam post states police are in need of locating 28-year-old Katie Cunningham who went missing, and includes pictures of the “missing officer,” asking others to share.
“This is not true,” reads and MHPS public announcement. “If you see this, do not reply to it, share it or repost it.”
Police say it is helpful to report the post to Facebook admin.
“These posts are created by scammers who are trying to encourage you to share them.”
Police say the motive is generally to spread misinformation but is sometimes used to gain personal information.
Along with the public announcement, police shared several tips on how to identify common features in scam posts, like fake news stories, stage photos and fabricated stories about missing people and pets.
Key characteristics of a fake post include using overlay dramatic statements to grab attention and powerful images or stories that attempt to evoke emotions including fear or sympathy.
These posts will use fake profiles that are recently created with few friends and can contain suspect links that can lead to malicious websites and phishing attempts.
Another giveaway is grammatical and spelling errors, inconsistencies and “overly dramatic language.”
Police suggest looking for these red flags before sharing posts and checking the source to verify the credibility of the page.
If you do see a scam post online, police encourage you to report the post using the social media platform for reporting false information and spam, as well as educate yourself and others if you see someone sharing a fake post.
“Gently inform them about the potential issue,” concludes the public announcement.
