WARNING: These Facebook Posts Are Scams! Stop Sharing Them NOW!

Alright El Paso, I have seen WAY too many people sharing posts on Facebook about lost children, police trying to locate an unconcious women’s family, and even dead or injured animals on the road. THEY’RE ALL A SCAM!

Yup, you know your tia, tio, or grandma share these posts and although they may think they’re doing something good, sharing these posts could harm THEM!

A recent post circulating across Facebook alerting people of a possible murderer on the loose in El Paso, Texas was shared on FitFam of El Paso warning people NOT to believe it!

According to the post, the person in the photo is in fact a suspected murderer, but he was arrested in Arizona back in September and has remained jailed without bond.

IRS Scams Are Now Getting Around:

Another most recent scam that’s been circulating around El Paso is one that asks people to click a link to send the “IRS” your personal information to get a $1,400 refund! Sounds great right?! WRONG! DON’T  DO IT!

Toll Road Scams Are Coming In Hot, Too:

Another popular scam that’s going around El Paso, TX is a text warning people that they need to pay their unpaid toll bill to avoid late fees.

SPOILER ALERT: El Paso has no toll roads so, IT’S A SCAM!

And if you’re wondering how all these scammers go your number, it’s pretty simple. KVIA-TV spoke with Jeanette Harper from FBI El Paso and she said:

"We use our phone numbers to sign up for accounts everywhere. And if there has been data breaches, it's easy for people to find a phone number."

Some of the posts I’m talking about usually often have the same caption or similar captions and feature photos of random people or animals in critical danger.

Here's how you can spot that these posts are all scams:

1. Geographic Errors: Does the user seem unfamiliar with local names or spellings? That’s a red flag. If a scammer is targeting a specific area, they might use incorrect place names or awkward phrasing.

2. Lack of Details: Genuine posts seeking help from the public will include specific information like dates, times, and locations. If these details are missing, be skeptical.

3. Suspicious Profiles: Check the user’s profile. Do they have only one photo, an empty “About” section, or no other posts? These are signs of a fake account.

4. Odd Terminology: Watch out for terms that don’t fit your location. For instance, “Police Department” is an American term, not used everywhere.
5. Comments Are Disabled: This is a BIG one! If you see that comments are not allowed on the ORIGINAL post the it’s a huge red flag. Usually hackers and scammers don’t let people comment on their posts because they will get people who call them out and let others know the post is a scam. Also, the scammers want YOU to message THEM so disabling the comments forces people to message them directly and it’s easier to be sneaky when no one else can read the messages!

And remember, once these posts gain traction, scammers often change the content to promote illegal activities. So, next time you see a “lost child” post, think twice before hitting that share button. Don’t be the reason your friends see random or inappropriate content in their feeds. Stay vigilant and always do your homework!