‘Please Share’—A Viral Scam in Disguise

The internet is filled with posts urging people to “Please Share!” Whether it’s about a missing child, a lost pet, or someone in desperate need, these posts play on emotions to spread quickly. But behind many of these viral posts, scammers are lurking, waiting to take advantage of your goodwill.

These scams aren’t just harmless misinformation—they manipulate trust, steal personal information, and even lead people to dangerous phishing sites. Let’s break down how this scam works and, most importantly, how you can protect yourself.

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How Does the Scam Work?

Scammers fabricate stories to make their posts go viral, knowing that people are more likely to share emotional or urgent content without verifying it. Here’s how they do it:

Step 1: Creating a Fake Story

Scammers steal a photo from the internet—sometimes from a real missing persons case, a lost pet, or even a completely unrelated news story—and pair it with a heart-wrenching plea for help.

These posts typically lack specific details like police reports, city names, or official contacts, making them easy to copy and paste across different locations. For example, the same missing child may appear in a post claiming they were last seen in Kewaunee, while another version claims they disappeared in Evansville—a clear sign that the story is fabricated.

By avoiding location-specific details, scammers make it easier to reuse the same post in different regions, ensuring maximum reach and believability.

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Step 2: Gaining Trust & Engagement

Once the fake post is up, scammers manipulate engagement to spread it further. They urge people to interact with the post by using emotionally charged phrases like:

  • “Bump this post!” – A trick to keep it active in social media feeds.
  • “Flood our feeds to help find them!” – A psychological push to make people act fast.
  • “Please help, it only takes a second!” – Reinforcing the idea that sharing is a small but meaningful action.

As more people like, comment, and share, the illusion of credibility grows. Someone scrolling by may think, “If thousands of people are engaging, it must be real.” But looking closer, we can see the same child is being reported missing in multiple places.

This repetition across locations is a clear red flag—real missing person reports would have consistent details and official sources, not generic copy-paste pleas.

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Step 3: Switching to a Scam

Once the post has gained enough attention, scammers replace the original message with their true objective:

  • Replacing the original message with a fake fundraiser link, tricking people into donating to a scam.
  • Adding phishing links, leading users to fake websites that steal login credentials.
  • Advertising fraudulent giveaways that require people to provide personal information.

What started as a heartfelt plea for help is now a trap designed to deceive and exploit trusting users. Some scammers also sell viral pages after they gain enough followers, using their newfound audience to push further scams.

Step 4: Harvesting Personal Information

Scammers closely monitor the comments on their fake posts, gathering:

  • Locations (especially from people saying “I’m in this area, I’ll keep an eye out!”)
  • Personal details (names, workplaces, or family connections)
  • Vulnerable targets (people who frequently engage with emotional posts)

Comment sections are goldmines for scammers. People often share their location, phone numbers, or even personal experiences, making themselves potential targets for future scams.

This helps scammers build a list of potential victims, which they can use for future phishing scams, identity theft, or social engineering attacks.

How Can I Protect Myself?

Verify Before Sharing

Before hitting “Share,” take a moment to fact-check:

  • Search for the story online. If a child or pet is truly missing, it will be on news websites, police pages, or official missing persons databases.
  • Look for an official source. If there’s no link to law enforcement, a news article, or an organization handling the case, be skeptical.
  • Reverse image search. Scammers often steal photos from old missing person cases, unrelated news stories, or even stock images.

Scammers don’t just fake missing child posts—they also do the same with missing pets. If there’s no clear owner information or local vet contacts, it’s likely a scam.

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Look for Red Flags

Many scam posts follow a similar pattern, so learning to spot red flags can help you identify them instantly:

  • No police or contact information
  • Vague details (e.g., no location, no last name)
  • Comments turned off
  • Excessive urgency, asking you to “BUMP” or “FLOOD FEEDS”

Scammers often turn off comments so no one can call out the fraud. If a post has vague details, urgent language, and no official sources, it’s best to ignore it. Do not engage by liking, commenting, or sharing—it only helps it spread further.

Report and Educate

Once you spot a scam, help stop it from spreading:

  • Report the post on Facebook or other platforms so it can be removed.
  • Warn your friends and family if you see them engaging with these scams.
  • Share real information—direct people to legitimate sources like the police, missing persons organizations, or verified news articles instead.

Don’t Rush to React

The biggest mistake people make is engaging with posts before verifying them. Even something as simple as a like or comment can help a scam spread.

Before reacting, ask yourself:

  • Does this post have official sources (like police reports or news articles)?
  • Is it coming from a trusted organization or just a random account?
  • Are there clear details, or is it just emotional language with no specifics?

If any of these raise concerns, do not engage. The best way to stop a scam is to stop its reach.

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Download the tip-sheet below. Feel free to post and share it to help spread awareness and protect others from these scams.

Conclusion: Pause Before You Share

Scammers know that kind-hearted people want to help, and they exploit that generosity to spread fake posts and steal trust. The next time you see an emotional plea asking you to “Please Share!”, take a moment to pause and verify.

By staying informed and thinking before we click, we can stop scammers from taking advantage of our kindness and keep social media a safer space.

Stay #UnHackable with KnowledgeFlow!