Hijacker or fake? Confusion about missing girls in Gartz!

Hijacker or fake? Confusion about missing girls in Gartz!

At the weekend, a suspected kidnapping in Gartz caused a lot of excitement among the citizens. Andreas Schwarze, father of an eleven-year-old daughter, came across a missing persons report on Facebook that involved a dark-haired child. The ad mentioned an alleged kidnapped child, which caused concern among users. But what read like a dramatic incident turned out to be a difficult story to understand upon closer inspection. Schwarze found the report to be unreliable due to its awkward wording, as Nordkurier reports.

The ad spoke of a surveillance camera that was said to have captured the perpetrator, but there was no apparent identification. Where does this lead us? It is a renewed alarm at a time when fake missing person reports are sprouting up like mushrooms. A local nonprofit also spread the news, further fueling the spread of potential malware. When such reports circulate, real missing person cases are pushed into the background, which permanently undermines confidence in the search for missing people.

Dangers from fake reports

The Uckermark police station made it clear that the “Lena Schneider” case was not known. This underlines the chaos caused by fake missing person reports. In fact, there was a real missing person case on August 10, 2025 involving the names Mia. Fortunately, she was found unharmed the same day. Still, the incident should be a wake-up call for anyone who shares information on social media without verifying its veracity. The non-profit association refers to the advice of Stiftung Warentest: Anyone who spreads such news runs the risk of falling into the trap of fraudsters.

As the Police notes, it is important to only believe official search calls from the police. These reports are subject to strict procedures and should always be verified. Untrue reports of missing persons often appear in social media groups, which are often shared out of good faith to help relatives. But it is precisely such reports that undermine the credibility of actual missing person reports and create confusion among those searching.

Disinformation on the internet

In times of fake news and disinformation, there is great uncertainty - also with regard to the reputable information circulating on the Internet. According to the Federal Agency for Civic Education, many citizens are concerned due to misleading content that such reports could actually influence public perception and even election results. Low trust in media and political institutions compounds this problem, as many people are more vulnerable to fake news.

According to empirical research, fake news is less widespread overall, but it is consumed by more intensive target groups. Manipulative messages often spread among politically active individuals who specifically seek information that supports their views. The EU has therefore launched initiatives such as “EU vs. Disinfo” to counteract the spread of disinformation. Raising public awareness and promoting media literacy are many steps to strengthen trust in reputable sources.