Social media post about missing boy is a hoax and a scam, Suffolk police warn

Suffolk County police are warning residents of a social media hoax regarding a missing boy they say is a scam used to capture the personal information of concerned internet users who share or click on the post.

The nationwide hoax, which Suffolk police noticed after it appeared on a Copiague community Facebook page, identifies a missing child named Tyler Griffin. Police said there is no such missing person and residents should stop sharing or engaging with the post.

Similar posts about “Tyler Griffin” have popped up on community pages in other states across the country. Sometimes they feature photographs of other children or the name is changed slightly.

The Facebook user who created the post that is being shared in Suffolk County claims to be the boy’s mother and she states that he has been missing since not returning from a local school, according to a screengrab shared by police. The user encourages others to share the post to help locate the boy, which police say you absolutely should not do.

Suffolk Police declined to elaborate on how or if any local residents have been victimized by the post. Police are asking anyone who believes they may be a victim to call their local precinct.

By Grant Parpan

grant.parpan@newsday.com@GrantParpan

Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. A Long Island native, he joined Newsday in 2022.