Viral Facebook posts claiming a young, bruised boy was found alone at night by a police officer named “Deputy Tyler Cooper” in either Hereford or King’s Lynn have been confirmed as completely false.
The emotionally charged posts, which have circulated widely across large community groups, include images of a child and urge users to “flood feeds” in an attempt to locate his family. However, both West Mercia Police and Norfolk Constabulary have issued statements refuting the claims.
“We can confirm that no such incident occurred in Hereford and that there is no officer by the name of Tyler Cooper in our force,” a spokesperson from West Mercia Police stated.
Similarly, Norfolk Constabulary confirmed that:
“No such incident occurred in King’s Lynn, and the rank of ‘deputy’ is not used within our organization.”
A Growing Pattern of Online Deception
These posts are part of a troubling trend of viral hoaxes that prey on the public’s empathy to gain traction. Once widely shared, the posts are often edited later to include links to scams, such as cashback schemes, phishing websites, or misleading real estate advertisements.
They rely on emotional manipulation to encourage rapid sharing, making them difficult to trace or remove before they are repurposed for malicious intent.
How to Spot and Avoid Social Media Hoaxes
To protect yourself and others from misinformation:
- Check for official confirmation from local authorities or news sources before sharing emotionally charged posts.
- Be wary of vague or inconsistent details, such as changing locations or unverifiable names.
- Look out for edited posts—you can click the three dots on a Facebook post to see its edit history.
- Report suspicious content to the platform to help stop the spread.
Final Word
Social media can be a powerful tool for community support, but it’s also a fertile ground for misinformation and scams. Always verify before you amplify. If a story seems designed to provoke an emotional reaction without solid details, it may not be true.
