Indiana State Police Warn of Facebook Scam Involving Fake Missing Officer Posts

Written from Indiana State Police Facebook post

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — April 21, 2025 — Indiana State Police are warning residents in the Bloomington area to be vigilant after a fraudulent Facebook post began circulating, falsely claiming a police officer is missing.

In a statement posted to the Indiana State Police Bloomington District’s official Facebook page Monday, officials clarified that the individual pictured in the post is a real person, but is neither missing nor affiliated with the Bloomington Police Department.

“BE AWARE and ALERT!!” the agency wrote. “A Facebook scam is circulating regarding a missing Bloomington Police Officer. THIS IS A SCAM, and your social media personal data can be at risk.”

Authorities say the image has appeared in various misleading posts across Facebook, each time identifying the same person as an officer from different departments.

State Police urged Hoosiers not to engage with or share the post, warning that interacting with such content could compromise users’ personal data.

Officials did not specify who may be behind the scam but encouraged the public to report suspicious activity directly to Facebook and remain cautious when encountering unverified claims on social media.

Tips to Stay Safe Online:

• Verify missing person claims through official police or news channels.
• Avoid sharing posts that lack source information.
• Report suspicious posts to the platform immediately.

The post Indiana State Police Warn of Facebook Scam Involving Fake Missing Officer Posts first appeared on The Bloomingtonian.