Police warn about fake news on Facebook neighbourhood groups
Posted February 11, 2020 7:19 am.
ABBOTSFORD (NEWS 1130) – Police have a warning about neighbourhood Facebook groups — don’t believe everything you read and be careful with what you share.
The Abbotsford Police Department has some concerns about alarm spreading in the Fraser Valley related to rumours about abduction and human trafficking.
“BEWARE…keep your vehicle doors locked at all times!!!” reads a post in a Chilliwack Facebook group. “My daughter was driving home around 3:00 this morning, she was heading east on Prairie Central.
“There was a man in the middle of the road waving his arms. She slowed down, almost a complete stop (not wanting to run them over). He tried to open her passenger door….thankfully she always has her doors locked. She sped away and RCMP were notified!”
Variations have appeared in other Fraser Valley community Facebook groups with some members suggesting it is an organized attempt to abduct young women.
“I think it’s very important for the public to realize that social media is a very powerful tool in our society today,” says APD Sgt. Judy Bird.
“If you see something that causes you alarm, that you have not heard in any sort of media release or comments from police, it’s important for you to reach out to police. That includes incidents of abduction or sex crime rigs.”
Bird says messages like those being shared in some Fraser Valley Facebook circles can cause huge amounts of unnecessary alarm, pointing out the truth can often be blurred.
“That causes panic among people living in the community and we really don’t want that.”
She suggests the spread of sketchy posts can be compared to the little boy who cried wolf.
“When incidents actually are true and we need to spread the word, our concern is that the message won’t be as powerful,” she explains. “People may not pay attention because they don’t believe it’s true.”
While Bird admits human trafficking is a real concern across the country, there have been no recent reports of attempted abductions related to sex rings in Abbotsford.
“At this time, that is not something we have seen occurring. I think it’s really important that people do stay vigilant every day — know who’s around you and what your surroundings are — but it’s also really important to contact the police if you have concerns.
Whatever you read, you really have to be careful of the information you are sharing, especially if it’s not true.”
-With files from Dean Recksiedler and Amanda Wawryk
