Police Debunk Online Claims Of Sex Trafficking At NJ Malls

ROCKAWAY, NJ — You might have seen this Facebook post circulating around New Jersey before: women shopping at local malls or big box retailers are approached by a seemingly normal looking person, only to notice a group of men waiting to snatch them up. It's sex trafficking, the Facebook post typically warns, and if you're not careful, you could become a victim.

The only issue? Police say they haven't received any reports of attempted sex trafficking, and neither have mall officials.

"We have not encountered any suspicious activity that has been reported to the Rockaway Twp. Police," Rockaway Lieutenant Peter Reilly told Patch when asked about a post claiming sex traffickers were targeting Rockaway Townsquare Mall employees.

Simon Malls, a management company that oversees several New Jersey malls, including Rockaway Townsquare, have not received any reports of incidents either, Reilly said. Simon manages 14 malls in New Jersey, including several popular outlet malls.

"We have not received any reports of sex trafficking, no creditability at all to that. If there was anything that smelled at all suspicious, of course we would work with law enforcement authorities immediately," Les Morris, a spokesperson for Simon Malls, told Patch. "It's a very serious charge and we take it seriously, and of course our top priority is to make sure the mall is safe. But we have received no reports of that."

This is not the first time false claims of sex trafficking at New Jersey malls have gained traction online. Similar claims circulated in Toms River last summer, prompting police to issue this reminder: if you feel like you're in danger, let police know, not your friends list.

"We've seen several posts in the last week about people feeling uncomfortable in stores or parking lots but not one mentions calling the police," Toms River police said in a post on Facebook last summer. "If someone is making you feel unsafe you need to protect yourself, your family and other potential victims by alerting authorities."

Claims of possible sex traffickers following shoppers have circulated on various social media sites for years. Internet fact checking website Snopes has either disproven or been unable to verify dozens of similar stories from a variety of stores and states. In fact, the hoax is so pervasive the website has given the topic its own category.

Although its unlikely that human traffickers are targeting families at local big box stores and malls, there have been verified reports of human trafficking in all 50 states, the National Human Trafficking Hotline says. In 2017, there were 161 cases reported in New Jersey, the organization says.

MILFORD, CT - MARCH 28: A woman stands on an escalator in a shopping mall on March 28, 2017 in Milford, Connecticut. As consumers buying habits change and more people prefer to spend money on technology and experiences like vacations over apparel, shopping malls across the country are suffering.In the last decade dozens of malls have closed as retailers like JCPenney, Macy's and Sears, known as 'anchor stores,' close hundreds of locations do to falling sales. Real estate firm CoStar are projecting that nearly 25% of American malls are in danger of losing their anchors stores. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)