Don’t be too quick to share those heart-tugging posts of a missing child, elderly adult, or even a found, injured pet on Facebook because you could be putting your friends at risk of falling victim to a scam.

You’ve probably seen such posts shared on your friends or a family member’s page. They include a hashtag with the name of a local town and encourage readers to bump the post.

But the Better Business Bureau, which has issued a warning on the bait-and-switch scam, says the original poster will substitute the post with a too-good-to-be-true home for rent or other such listing in an effort to take people’s money.

“It’s so automatic on social media that when you see something that tugs at your heart, you want to help. And if you’re asked to spread the word, you spread the word without realizing you’re in the middle of a con,” says WSB consumer expert Clark Howard.

He says a legitimate post regarding a missing person will be issued by a reliable source such as law enforcement or the news media. If in doubt, do the research yourself, including scrutinizing the original poster. Most will have a newly created Facebook account and will block comments so as not to be outed as a scammer.

“Just be aware and wary that criminals are able to use and manipulate us on social media to try to take advantage of people and ultimately they’re after your and my wallet,” says Howard.

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