False Missing Child Posts Spread on Facebook: What You Need to Know
A wave of viral Facebook posts claiming that a young boy was found alone at night—either in Hereford or King’s Lynn—has been confirmed as completely false. These posts, circulating widely in community groups, feature images of a bruised child and allege he was rescued by a “Deputy Tyler Cooper.” They urge readers to “flood feeds” to help locate the child’s family.
However, authorities have stepped in to debunk the story:
- West Mercia Police confirmed no such incident took place in Hereford and that no officer named Tyler Cooper exists on their force.
- Norfolk Constabulary stated the story never happened in King’s Lynn, noting that the title of “deputy” is not used in their organization.
These posts are classic examples of Facebook hoaxes—emotional stories designed to grab attention. Often, after going viral, they are edited to push scams, such as cashback websites or property ads.
How to protect yourself from these scams:
- Be cautious of posts with comments disabled.
- Check if the same post appears word-for-word in multiple groups or pages.
- Look for confirmation from credible news sources or official channels.
- Report suspicious content directly to Facebook.
Such hoaxes can flood local communities and spread misinformation rapidly. Tech companies like Meta have been urged to take stronger action to tackle this growing problem.
