Local police say they have no record of a complaint connected to a viral post on social media. (file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Teena Monteleone

Police warning public about fabricated posts on social media

Jul 11, 2019 | 3:00 PM

A post on Facebook by a woman who claimed she was thankful to be home and alive following an incident on the bridge is a hoax, according to city police.

The post and screen captures of it were shared several hundred times on social media this week. In it, the woman says she was driving from Nipawin when she started being followed by a green truck near Meath Park.

Part of the post read: “a green truck was on my bumper n he was being aggressive n slowing n faster n slowing n faster…this continued until Prince Albert.” [sic]

The woman claims when she got on the bridge, the green truck was beside her and tried to get closer while a blue van in front of her started braking, so she called 911. In the post, she went on to write: “I’m shaking…they got all three men. The pa city police said I was a target because I was alone n a women…It’s real it’s possible I will not travel alone ever…I’m tramatized.” [sic]

Prince Albert city police received phone calls from concerned members of the public who had read the post but when they tried to review the file, there was no record of it.

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The post on Facebook.

“We were unable to locate the name in our police system of the person who posted this issue. We also checked with our partners, the local RCMP, to see if they had any record of this or a similar complaint and they hadn’t,” Prince Albert Police Sgt. Travis Willie said.

Officers also tried to reach out to the woman through social media, but Willie said she never replied and appeared to have taken down her Facebook page.

“What I can tell you is if the police thought for a second there was a danger to the community or we feel there is information that needs to go out to the public, we will push that out,” he said.

Willie encouraged the public to contact police if they see a concerning post on social media.

“Call us and we will look into it or tell you if it’s valid or not,” he said. “Be wary of what you see on social media.”

If someone creates panic or undue concern to the public with fabricated information, Willie said there is reason to investigate and that person could potentially end up facing criminal charges.

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teena.monteleone@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @TeenaMonteleone