A 10-year-old girl named Maja was allegedly abducted in Bolesławiec on Sunday, July 26, at 11:00 a.m., while out walking with her parents. The false information also states that the police are asking Interpol for help. A police officer with the rank of captain is quoted. Let us recall that there is currently no such rank in the police.
Also in Bolesławiec, a few days ago, a young woman was allegedly brutally raped and beaten. This is also fake news!
Such reports often include a video to watch showing the crime being committed—an abduction or rape. The video is allegedly published at the request of the family and the police. To watch it, users must log in with the username and password they use on Facebook.
We warn you not to do this under any circumstances. It could result in a hacker taking over your Facebook account. It is also often the case that clicking a link on a suspicious website will infect the device used to play the video with malicious software.
Sometimes criminals ask for a phone number through the website and send an access code for viewing the video. In this way, they install dangerous software on the phone, which can be used to commit a crime.
It is not difficult to imagine what this can lead to. Such conduct may result in control being taken over the infected device and, for example, the bank account accessed from that device—such as a smartphone—being emptied.
Watch out for fake news and “suspicious websites”!
False information encouraging people to click on a video or another link has been circulating online for years. Internet users should be especially careful with websites having unknown and strange names, for example, www.portalpowiatowy.098.pl You should also beware of suspicious Facebook posts shared by our friends as well—often without their knowledge.
Websites and Facebook posts often “pretend” to be well-known news services. However, it is difficult to find contact details there, such as the editorial office’s telephone number or the publisher’s address. This should make us alert. We should also watch out for suspicious text messages containing links and information about an underpayment on a bill or in a parcel. This too can prove costly.
We warn you and ask you not to click on information or links from unknown or unverified sources. Please also do not click on or install attachments from emails unless we are 100% certain that they come from a trustworthy source.