(Radio Iowa) – Authorities in central Iowa are warning social media users about two recent scams that are tugging at heartstrings and preying on fears. One fraudulent post asks for the community’s help identifying an abandoned and injured child, while the other claims a serial killer is on the run. Des Moines police say the details are changed to make it appear local, but the same scams are being used in multiple states.

The crooks are hoping you’ll click on their links which will lead you to sites that may appear legit, but that aim to steal your identity. Police urge anyone who sees these social media posts to report them to the platform administrators, and to only share posts from trusted sources.

Examples of recent scam posts