Local

Pasco sheriff warns of social media scam

ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. — The Pasco County Sheriff's Office is using caution when posting pictures of children on its Facebook page. And they're warning parents to also be careful in light of a recent scam.

Officials highlighted a case involving a missing 15-year-old girl whose mother posted information on Facebook after she ran away on Aug. 11.

She changed her privacy settings to make her profile public. A stranger contacted her, seeking $300 for information about the girl's whereabouts. He asked her to wire it Nigeria. Instead, she contacted the sheriff's office. Her daughter returned home two days later.

Sheriff's officials say they don't post pictures of runaway children on social media because they get about 800 per year. They do, however, still post pictures of missing endangered children.