US police have urged residents in small towns and rural communities to ignore Facebook posts warning people to be on the lookout for two armed and dangerous men. Shared thousands of times, the posts include mugshots of individuals who allegedly pretend to be homeless while they prowl neighbourhoods and launch attacks. Some versions contain different images but the claims are all strikingly similar. They are also false. The men seen in the pictures were previously linked to past and unrelated crimes. US authorities assured the public there is no truth to the claims. AFP Fact Check found the posts emanated from Facebook accounts created in Zimbabwe and Botswana.

Two posts with almost identical wording were published here and here in various public Facebook groups on June 24, 2022. They included images of two alleged suspects.

“These 2 men go around claiming to be homeless, seeking help, then they attack you,” the captions read. “They are on the run and they are very dangerous. They attacked a 33 year old single mom with a knife 2 days ago leaving her struggling for her life. If you see them please report to the police and be careful. Warn others (sic).”

One post appeared on a page offering “stuff for sale” in Tama Toledo, a town in Iowa, US. The same “warning” was posted on a page called “BUY SELL SWAP” in Ballykelly, a village in Northern Ireland.

AFP Fact Check also found a similar version of the claim posted to a yardsale group (in Auburn, Alabama) and on an auction page...

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