I'm in the UK, there are hundreds of these obvious scam posts - the wording is all wrong for "local" areas, the comments are always turned off.
I wish people would engage their brains before sharing this rubbish
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/aug/24/local-facebook-groups-hoax-posts
(Wording from another search)
Don't be tricked, lose money in postage stamp scam
Sharing Facebook post about lost pet could put you, friends at risk of scam
SUSAN TOMPOR Detroit Free Press
I'd assume everyone by now has spotted one of those sad stories on Facebook about a dog that ran off, maybe heading back to the old neighborhood miles away from the new house, or the cat that hasn't been back for three nights.
Who would imagine, really, that you might do more harm than good by sharing a story about the search? After all, maybe you just spotted that pooch in the park.
Yet sharing some posts that tug at your heartstrings — or another eye-catching piece — could put your social media friends at risk of getting caught in a scam, according to a new warning from the Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Michigan & the Upper Peninsula.
How one story turns into a scam pitch
Once you share such a random post, your friends don't end up seeing what you saw. They're not getting news about a missing child, a lost dog or even that cat that could be locked in someone's garage. Instead, scammers change the original post to promote a deceptive rental ad or sometimes to a link pointing to a survey that "guarantees" a cash prize.
Your friends think you recommended the content. But you didn't.
The risk, of course, is that maybe someone will think that the rental property being advertised is a good deal and put down a deposit. Or the crooks might find a new way to get personal information that can be used for identity theft.
“Scammers are sharing these posts in legitimate groups, putting not only the group members but also their friends at risk," said Melanie Duquesnel, BBB president & CEO, in a statement.
An example of a scam Facebook post using pictures of injured animals as a way to target animal lovers.
An example of a scam Facebook post using pictures of injured animals as a way to target animal lovers.
PROVIDED BY THE INGHAM COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL
The BBB heard of a local case where a post started out on social media telling people about a missing dog but later was turned into a too-good-to-be-true rental pitch for a three-bedroom house at $550 a month. "There is no deposit required, and all pets are welcome!"
Sure, a 75% off rental deal. Yeah, right. But maybe your friend found a deal? Or knows someone?
Scammers know that we trust our friends
"It looks like your Facebook friend has shared this rental, so it must be legitimate," said Laura Blankenship, chief of staff and director of marketing for the Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Michigan.
Scammers often will steal photos of homes that had been used online earlier in real estate ads to create housing or rental scams. Typically, the photo might be something stolen from another website, such as Zillow.
Now, though, the scammer wants to catch you off-guard by having someone share a post.
"Scammers are always evolving. They are sophisticated. And they know that animals, babies and tragedies, unfortunately, that's what is pulling at the heartstrings," Blankenship said