Think twice before sharing that viral post—it could be a scam.
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In the age of social media, our feeds are often flooded with urgent pleas for help, from lost pets to missing persons.
The impulse to share such posts is a testament to our collective desire to do good.
But what if that instinct is being exploited by scammers? This is the latest warning from authorities who have identified a new nationwide scam involving posts about a missing police officer.
The scam starts innocuously enough: a post appears on Facebook, imploring users to be on the lookout for a missing police officer named Katie Cunningham, a 28-year-old who supposedly vanished “yesterday morning.”
The post is designed to tug at heartstrings, mentioning that her daughter was found in her car, but the officer herself remains missing. It even claims that a “silver alert” has been issued.
However, upon closer inspection, the story unravels. Police departments across the country, including those in Evansville, Indiana, and Chambers County, Texas, have issued warnings that there is no officer Katie Cunningham missing from their ranks.
In fact, the entire post is a hoax, part of a scam designed to manipulate emotions and spread virally.
While the story is fabricated, the photo circulating with the post is, ironically, authentic. It depicts a real police officer—Sergeant Katie Cunningham from Great Falls, Montana.
The Great Falls Police Department has confirmed that their Sergeant Cunningham is very much “alive and well,” actively serving as the SRO supervisor at Great Falls High.
They also pointed out discrepancies in the post, such as the decade-old photo showing an incorrect rank and the fact that Cunningham is “very petite,” standing at 5'3'—not the 5'9” claimed in the scam.
Read next: 81-year-old thought she was arrest-proof—see why she was wrong!
Moreover, the mention of a “silver alert” is misleading. Such alerts are typically issued for missing elderly individuals, not for someone of Cunningham's age.
It remains unclear what the scammers hope to achieve with these posts. They might be aiming to collect likes and shares to boost the visibility of a page or profile, which could later be used for more nefarious purposes.
Source: Great Falls MT Police Department / Facebook.
Or perhaps there's a more direct scam at play that hasn't yet been uncovered.
Authorities are urging the public to exercise caution and skepticism with such posts. Before sharing, take a moment to verify the information through official local law enforcement channels.
If a post about a missing person doesn't link to a credible news source or a police report, it's worth double-checking.
Also read: This bizarre banana trick didn’t just reveal a thief—it uncovered something bigger
Have you encountered similar scams on social media? How do you determine what to share and what to question? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below!
The impulse to share such posts is a testament to our collective desire to do good.
But what if that instinct is being exploited by scammers? This is the latest warning from authorities who have identified a new nationwide scam involving posts about a missing police officer.
The scam starts innocuously enough: a post appears on Facebook, imploring users to be on the lookout for a missing police officer named Katie Cunningham, a 28-year-old who supposedly vanished “yesterday morning.”
The post is designed to tug at heartstrings, mentioning that her daughter was found in her car, but the officer herself remains missing. It even claims that a “silver alert” has been issued.
However, upon closer inspection, the story unravels. Police departments across the country, including those in Evansville, Indiana, and Chambers County, Texas, have issued warnings that there is no officer Katie Cunningham missing from their ranks.
Authorities have identified a scam involving posts about a missing police officer named Katie Cunningham being shared across Facebook. Image source: Great Falls MT Police Department / Facebook.
In fact, the entire post is a hoax, part of a scam designed to manipulate emotions and spread virally.
While the story is fabricated, the photo circulating with the post is, ironically, authentic. It depicts a real police officer—Sergeant Katie Cunningham from Great Falls, Montana.
The Great Falls Police Department has confirmed that their Sergeant Cunningham is very much “alive and well,” actively serving as the SRO supervisor at Great Falls High.
They also pointed out discrepancies in the post, such as the decade-old photo showing an incorrect rank and the fact that Cunningham is “very petite,” standing at 5'3'—not the 5'9” claimed in the scam.
Read next: 81-year-old thought she was arrest-proof—see why she was wrong!
Moreover, the mention of a “silver alert” is misleading. Such alerts are typically issued for missing elderly individuals, not for someone of Cunningham's age.
It remains unclear what the scammers hope to achieve with these posts. They might be aiming to collect likes and shares to boost the visibility of a page or profile, which could later be used for more nefarious purposes.
Source: Great Falls MT Police Department / Facebook.
Or perhaps there's a more direct scam at play that hasn't yet been uncovered.
Authorities are urging the public to exercise caution and skepticism with such posts. Before sharing, take a moment to verify the information through official local law enforcement channels.
If a post about a missing person doesn't link to a credible news source or a police report, it's worth double-checking.
Also read: This bizarre banana trick didn’t just reveal a thief—it uncovered something bigger
Have you encountered similar scams on social media? How do you determine what to share and what to question? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below!
