For the last few days Naked Security has received enquiries from readers asking about a message that has been widely shared across Facebook.
Although the message isn't related to computer security issues, it seems to have raised enough concern that it feels appropriate to discuss it here.
The message, which is sometimes distributed with an image of what appears to be pink-coloured crystalized methamphetamine, claims that children are being targeted with drugs that taste of strawberries.
...There is a drug going around the schools ...It's known as Strawberry Quick ...or strawberry meth ...it looks like pop rocks that kids eat, smells like strawberries &... also comes in other flavors like chocolate, etc..... Please tell your children not to take candy from anyone even a classmate because this drug that looks like pop rocks is actually crystal meth rocked up with strawberry flavor & can kill them :'( ...PLEASE RE POST!!! So all parents are aware of this ......Thank You!
The Hoax Slayer website, however, points out that the messages are highly exaggerated and inaccurate and can be dated back as far as 2007.
So, if you are forwarding this message to your Facebook friends, you are perpetuating what seems to be a baseless scare rather than providing a useful warning.
Nonsense messages like this clog up social networks just like commercial spam, wasting time and hardly helping the signal:noise ratio.
Keep your wits about you and stay informed about the latest scams, hoaxes and malware attacks spreading fast across Facebook. One of the best ways to do that is to join the Sophos Facebook page, where more than 160,000 people regularly share information on threats and discuss the latest security news.
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"Nonsense messages like this clog up social networks just like commercial spam, wasting time and hardly helping the signal:noise ratio."
I like teh statement above. If you really want to save time, just delete your facebook account. It is a huge time waste.
"If you really want to save time, just delete your facebook account. It is a huge time waste."
Yup. Not to mention a huge source of noise.
Thats 100% right..
Well it may not be where you are but I do have kids and they have seen this and we have talked to the police about this so like I have said its better safe than sorry and as always talk to your children so they are aware of things too.
Just thought I would let you guys know that here in Nova Scotia this info aired on our local News not more than 2 months ago....and to my knoledge it is going around recently.. thanks
The picture used is actually real but it is from a drug bust in the USA over ten years ago. The police used it as a propaganda tool to SCARE people.
Sounds good cos I hate the taste of plain crystal meth. It does give me a lovely smile though.... kind of like a graveyard in the autumn.
I am not perpetuating a scare. I verified the article at snopes.com before sharing it on my wall. I have teenage children and had never heard of it. It is never bad to keep up with what is out there to be able to effectively communicate with our children.
Surely I'm missing something here - I looked it up on snopes too and they said it's a hoax.
Troll denied.
this is not just on fb e.t.c it also being shared within Black berry messenger within in the last couple days in th uk, if its real then it has had alot of publicity which i can only persume is good.
If only other real serious issues could be virally shared like this has, instead its scams and nonsence.
All it is is colored meth, and somehow some well meaning people have thought 'hmm this looks like...CANDY!' OMG our kids are going to die!' And so the rumour mill is started. Unless you want to educate your kids on every drug known to exist, simple parenting skills is all thats needed. So no need to get into a panic attack every time one of these stories spreads. Just educate best you can and hope your kids don't want to experiment behind your back. As for snopes verifying the article, that is some selective reading you done there Leslie, as all they confirmed is that some coloured meth was seized by police, nothing about kids being targetted etc.
Kids are always the target. Adults die therefore no profit. start them young and make money longer. Economics 101. I think it is better safe than sorry. They did the same thing with stamps and LSD. I lived near a park where some got handed out. The trick is to give a taste and wait for those who want more to come back and charge them. Parenting skills IS knowing what is out there and telling as many parents as possible. It makes it harder for dealers to pass it off as candy. You have to remember it is their stash they will pop it just to "prove" it's harmless.
Oh please, Fox News was spreading this FUD (and a mixture called "cheese") in 2007:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,271215,00.html
All ya that is doubting this, must not have kids or just not care. Well I do any info that haves to do with drugs of any kind I will read and share it with my kid. I dont care if its old news or new news my kid will know about it and all the dangers that come with it, you could never be to careful these days.
"any info that 'haves' to do with drugs..."
maybe people would take you more seriously if you could use proper grammar and not sound like an idiot.
How to lose the trust of your children: "Anything I hear about drugs I will share with my kids, even if it's a lie!"
i dont care if it is true or false i sat my 13 yr old daughter and told her not to accept anything like, and she replyed a lad from yr 10 got caught with it in school and police took him police station. 17 yrs ago was a printed picture of cartoon and the poisen was in the ink.