Missing person reports - a deceptive matter: Imagine you are scrolling through Facebook and suddenly a post appears about a missing child from where you live. Your first instinct might be to help and share, but what if this is part of a sophisticated scam?

This exact scenario is no longer uncommon on Facebook. This scam exploits users' sympathy and trust to carry out criminal activities. In this article we look at how these scammers operate, what the consequences can be and how you can protect yourself.

The principle of fake missing person reports

The scam usually begins with a status post about an alleged missing child. (We HERE )
The child's name and location are specific enough to seem believable, yet vague enough not to be immediately verifiable. The emotional reaction to such a posting is predictable: many users want to help and click on the post to find out more.

Here is an example with the place names:

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Screenshot Facebook

However, the click does not lead to further information, but rather to a fake Facebook page. This page looks very similar to the real one and asks users to enter their login details to find out more about the missing person case. At this point, users' personal information is already at risk.

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Screenshot Facebook

Retransmission through hacked accounts

As soon as the login details are entered, the Facebook account falls into the hands of the fraudsters. An automated script then begins to post similar missing person reports in the user's name. The highlight: The posts are manipulated in such a way that they make it appear that the missing child comes from the home of the hacked account. For the victim's friends, it appears as if the affected user was looking for the child himself.

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Screenshot Facebook

When the fake report goes viral

The scope of this scam becomes particularly clear when you consider that such posts can achieve an enormous reach. It is not uncommon for them to be shared thousands of times, which increases the disinformation and forces the police to take a statement. A real case from Ludwigshafen Mundenheim makes this clear: There was a rumor of a child abduction that never took place. The police then had to clarify that it was fake news and warned the public to only believe trustworthy sources.

How to protect yourself from this type of fraud

The best protection against such scams is a healthy distrust and critical review of information. Suspicious posts should not be supported by clicks or shares. It is also advisable to never enter your login details on sites other than the official Facebook page. Anyone who falls victim should change their password immediately and inform their contacts about the incident.

Conclusion: Raise awareness and take responsibility

This Facebook scam exploits people's helpfulness and compassion to steal data and spread disinformation. The cases of fake missing person reports are a warning that not every call for help online is authentic. It is crucial to remain vigilant, question information and contact official authorities if you have any doubts. By taking responsibility for our online interactions, we can protect ourselves and others from the consequences of such fraudulent activities.

Source: press portal

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Also read:
Fake reports about missing children (phishing warning)
Data theft: How your Facebook data is stolen Fake
news: “Fake school bus” causes unrest
Chain letters: The underestimated risk of a click


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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )