An anti-fraud organisation has issued a warning over a fake post that's been circulating on social media this week.
The post, which you may have stumbled upon yourself, features an image of a young child who is allegedly 'lost' after being found walking alone behind a house in Belfast.
The post reads: "This little boy, approximately three years old, was found last night walking behind a home here in Belfast area.
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"Deputy Ryan Braidley saved him and took him to the police station but no one has an idea where he lives, the neighbours don't know him or how he got there.
"He says his mom's name is Emily.
"Let's flood his feeds so that this post may reach his family, thank you."
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You might have initially thought this post sounds pretty legit, but it's actually a total fake.
Similar posts can be seen for the same child, but in various cities across the world, including Kernville in the US.
US news outlet, WFMY News 2, reached out to Kernville Police and Forsyth County Sheriff's office, who said they hadn't been made aware of any missing children, meanwhile neither departments have a Deputy Ryan Braidley, either.
Following the spate of fake posts, Charlotte Hooper, Head of Operations at The Cyber Helpline explained to Tyla how these scams work and why we need to be careful.
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“Cybercriminals are expert marketers, they know how to create content that tugs on the heartstrings and feels urgent to those reading it, making it likely to generate shares and engagement, thus reaching more potential victims through a single post," they said.
"In many cases, the post is likely to later be changed to something else such as a fake investment website, however, because individuals have already shared the original post it still appears on their page and may feel legitimate to others viewing it thinking it has been shared by a friend or family member.
"The latest posts showing a young boy with injuries is only the latest in a series of similar malicious activities that have been occurring for the last few years with others sharing missing pets, missing children or other urgent requests for help."
Charlotte went on to discuss the classic signs of a scam post, adding: "Telltale signs might include:
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- Wording that isn't common in the country the post is supposedly originating from - for example, the latest posts have often used the term 'sheriff'
- Comments being turned off
- The poster seeming to be a new account or only recently having joined a group the content is posted on
"However, even if these aren't present, you should still be vigilant before sharing.
"Those who run Facebook groups should be on the look out for these kinds of posts and may consider implementing post approval so that admins can vet posts before other members can see them."
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If you feel you have been victim of a scam like this, you can contact The Cyber Helpline for help and support.
Tyla has contacted Meta for a comment.
Lucy Devine