Is a social media post asking me to share a lost dog photo to win a prize a scam?
These posts are almost always engagement-farming scams that have nothing to do with a real lost pet or a genuine prize.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Explanation
Like-farming and engagement-farming posts are a well-known social media manipulation tactic. A post with an emotional hook — a lost pet, a sick child, a heartwarming story — asks users to like or share for a chance to win a prize. The post accumulates large engagement, after which the original content is sometimes edited to promote a fraudulent product or link. The emotional appeal and the low-effort ask ('just share') make these posts highly effective. Genuine lost pet posts do not offer prizes for sharing.
Common red flags
- Prize offered in exchange for sharing or liking the post
- Post is from a page with no other content or a very large following
- Prize claim requires visiting an external link
- Emotional content combined with a commercial offer
What to do now
- Do not share engagement-bait posts that combine emotional appeals with prizes
- Report the post to the platform as potential spam
- Be cautious about pages that gain your follow through these posts
- If you entered contact details for a prize, expect marketing spam and phishing attempts
Frequently asked questions
Does sharing a post ever help find a genuinely lost pet?
Yes — genuine lost pet posts shared in local community groups can be effective. The red flag is when a prize is offered for sharing, which indicates engagement farming rather than a real search.