The FBI is investigating after numerous people of color in the D.C. area and throughout the country received racist spam texts a day after the election — and a misinformation expert said there are some things recipients of the texts should avoid doing.
In most of the texts, unknown senders directed people to report to plantations to pick cotton.
A Maryland mom said she noticed a shocking text while checking her phone Wednesday.
"I looked at it and it said you’ve been selected to be a breeder," she told News4. She did not want to be named.
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She said her daughter also received multiple texts that addressed her by name.
"That was probably the most frustrating or upsetting for my daughter, was the fact that she saw her name," she said. "So we had to have a conversation about, just, you know, people are doing this to make you afraid."
One person, who also did not want to be identified, sent News4 a screenshot of a text, which said:
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"Greetings, You have been selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation. Be ready at 12PM SHARP with your belongings. Our Executive Slaves will come get you in a Black Van, be prepared to be searched down once you've enter[sic] the plantation. You are in Plantation Group S"
While it might be tempting to respond to the texts — even just to say "stop" — a misinformation expert advises people not to engage.
"Don't do it. Don't play into it. Don't put yourself in the potential to be hacked or cause more harm," said Howard University Professor Dana Williams-Johnson, a misinformation researcher.
Williams-Johnson said personal information can easily be spread through data breaches, therefore, it's important to be mindful of what you put online.
She also expects the hatred to continue.
"We have seen that there was an uptick, especially in the election, with Russian agents … and troll farms in Russia, attempting to influence and put out a lot of misinformation and disinformation. In the previous administration, a lot of the HBCUs actually had bomb threats. I was locked in place at work one day. So, this is kind of scary that it's already starting," she said.
The FBI said it's in contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities. It says people should notify them if they receive the hateful texts.
Another text shared on the Washingtonian Problems Instagram had specific references to the District and Virginia. In that message, the recipient was told they would be a "house slave" at the Abingdon Plantation in Arlington, which is on land shared with Washington Reagan National Airport. They're directed to an address in Southwest D.C. and are also told it is mandatory.
The Metropolitan Police Department's Office of Homeland Security Intelligence is investigating the origins of the messages directing people to the Southwest address, police said. It's the address of Metro headquarters, and the message is signed, "Sincerely, Trump administration."
“It's worrisome,” said Pam, a woman who didn’t want to be identified but said her family and friends received messages. “The whole election had people anxious, and then now we have to deal with random messages coming across our phone, to Black people, people of color. It's not fair.”
“How did you get my number and how do I defend and how do I protect myself and what is going to be done about this?” Pam wants to know.
Some students in Montgomery County, Maryland, also received the texts, the school system said in a letter to families. School officials asked anyone who received the messages to report them to local authorities or school staff.
The attorneys general for D.C., Maryland and Virginia condemned the texts and asked residents to reach out to local law enforcement if they're in danger.
For District residents, the Office of the Attorney General asked anyone who received the texts to reach out to the civil rights section at 202-727-3400 or emailing OAGCivilRights@dc.gov.
People in Alabama, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina,, Georgia and other states have also reported getting the texts, according to online news reports. Many of the texts appeared to go to students – including some in middle school.
The source of the widespread texts is unknown and it's unclear how they obtained the phone numbers and names of so many.
