GRAND BLANC (WWJ) -- The Genesee County Sheriff's Office has vetted and debunked a social media post suggesting that a serial killer is targeting and abducting women in Grand Blanc.
The fake post in question advises that a man driving a pickup truck has been causing car accidents to get female drivers alone and abduct them.
According to the sheriff's office, similar posts using the same photos have been shared across the country. None of the warnings have any merit.
Speaking with WWJ, Sheriff Chris Swanson discussed why posts like this are passed along so often.
"It creates and incites a sense of fear and terror," said Swanson. "Who doesn't want to pass that kind of information along, and who wants to be the one that says it's not a hoax or it is a hoax?"
"We encourage everyone to always be aware of their surroundings, and if you see something say something" says the sheriff's office in a Facebook post. "However this is a good reminder to do a little research before hitting the share button."
The sheriff's office shared the following tips to determine if a post is fake:
1. Check the ORIGINAL poster's profile. See how many friends they have and where they live. The original poster of the false serial killer alert lives in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
2. Search the post using Facebook's search bar. If similar posts are being shared in multiple cities/states, the post is likely fake.
3. Do a reverse image search of the photos used in the post.
Most users share these posts in good faith, however, Sheriff Swanson told WWJ that his office has been prosecuting people who intentionally report false information.
