Officials warn FB users on posting missing child pics amid scam

TAMPA, Fla. — The Pasco County Sheriff's Department is no longer posting pictures of missing children on its Facebook page and is warning parents to be careful in light of a recent scam.
 
Sheriff Chris Nocco highlighted a case involving a 15-year-old girl whose mother posted information about her on Facebook after she went missing on Aug. 11.
 
The Tampa Tribune reports Christian Potwin turned to Facebook to help find her daughter, changing her privacy settings to make her profile public.

Officials said a stranger contacted her and wanted $300 for information about the girl's whereabouts.
 
Potwin called the sheriff's office. Her daughter returned home two days later.
 
Deputies said the suspect wanted a payment wired to Nigeria.
 
Nocco said the potential for scams is a reason they've stopped posting the pictures on Facebook.

WFTV