Sheriff Kevin J. McConville would like to advise the public about a fake social media posting that is circulating throughout the country and has recently appeared on accounts within Putnam County.
The posting is advising people to be aware of a serial killer who is on the loose. It includes an image of a wanted subject and uses names of the "suspects" and a "victim" name. There is no validity to the post. Sharing these types of Facebook posts might put your friends and family at risk of becoming a victim of a scam. After you share the post, the scammer will change the original post to a deceptive rental ad or some other type of sales pitch or a survey link with a cash prize. Now, your friends think that you have recommended that content, and it may lead to the sharing of personal information, which could lead to identity theft.
The Sheriff's Office strongly cautions people against sharing dubious postings without doing a little homework to see if it is legitimate.
