Fake Facebook profile sends out invite for a young girl, gets 200K replies
The person behind the viral spread in Facebook for an overblown birthday party invite for a young girl residing in New South Wales has been identified by the state police.
According to a report carried on Tuesday by Sydney Morning Herald, NSW police authorities have determined that a schoolboy obtained and assumed the identity of the girl, including her residence's complete details and her mobile number.
The boy then used a fake Facebook profile in sending out invitation for a party that was originally reserved only for the young girl's close friends, which Superintendent Terence Dalton, chief of North Shore Local Area Command, said were able to elicit up to 200,000 confirmed attendees.
Dalton said that the young boy would be visited by police officers on Tuesday to discuss the issue with him and his parents.
The police chief told the Sydney Morning Herald that their subject "is a young person and he'll be spoken to in relation to the matter to establish whether or not there are any charges that can be preferred."
NSW police authorities zeroed in on the young schoolboy following the incredible amount of people who registered to attend the birthday party, which has been cancelled due to the unnerving response even from anonymous persons sent to the girl.
Dalton said that his investigators traced the sham Facebook profile, which has been shutdown today.
Also, authorities are now working with the family of the young girl in order to inform the public that the party has been put off but police are set to patrol the girl's residence and its area to ensure their security.
Dalton said that anyone appearing near the girl's house and "engaging in any anti-social behaviour will be dealt with severely."
He added that the incident should serve as an important reminder for parents to exercise vigilance in monitoring their children's activities on social networking sites such as Facebook.