Contact: Corinne Geller
(804) 674-2789
February 13, 2009
In the past several weeks, a bogus text message has been circulating throughout the US claiming an AMBER Alert message has been issued in the receiver's local area. This text message provides the following FALSE information: "A 7 yr old girl was taken by a man driving a new silver truck. The license plate reads 72b381 please please pass on."
The National Center for Mssing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) discourages anyone from forwarding this email or text message so as to halt the hoax's progression.
To confirm or discount such messages, Virginians should go to the official Virginia AMBER Alert website, http://vaamberalert.com or access the site through the Virginia State Police website at http://www.vsp.virginia.gov. The AMBER Alert website immediately identifies an activation of the alert with specific, mandated information, photo, etc. If no AMBER Alert is ongoing, then the site specifies such with the statement, "Virginia has no alerts at this time."
"Often forwarded messages that appear to be or even claim to be 'AMBER Alerts,' but do not contain the necessary information are hoaxes,"reports the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. "Even well intentioned citizens, who attempt to formulate their own alerts and forward them, can unwittingly create confusion and a lack of integrity in the system." AMBER Alerts are targeted to specific geographic areas where they are most appropriate.
The AMBER Alert program is a highly successful nationwide effort that has resulted in 443 children being safetly returned to their families. The success of the AMBER Alert Program depends on the involvement of the entire community.
The public has many ways to receive official AMBER Alerts via radio, television, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) digital highway message boards, Internet service providers, and through their wireless carriers. Additional information regarding Virginia's AMBER Alert program and criteria is available at http://www.vaamberalert.com.
