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DC residents report racist 'house slave' texts: police

By
Updated  November 8, 2024 9:42am EST
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 5 DC

The Brief

    • D.C. residents received alarming text messages that contained hateful language and instructed recipients to respond to an address.
    • Similar messages about "enslavement" were also reported in Virginia and among Black college students.
    • The Metropolitan Police Department advised the community to treat this as a scam message.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Several D.C. residents reported receiving alarming text messages that contained hateful language and instructed recipients to respond to an address in Southwest, D.C.

FOX 5 DC reached out to The Metropolitan Police Department, and they confirmed they were aware of the text messages. Read the full statement below:

"We are aware of a text message circulating that contains hateful language and instructs recipients to respond to an address in Southwest, D.C. MPD’s Office of Homeland Security is investigating the origins of the message. MPD advises the community to treat this as a scam message and take the following actions:

  1. Copy the message and forward it to the Federal Trade Commission's reporting system at 7726. This also helps your wireless provider identify and block similar messages in the future.
  2. Report the message within the messaging app you use by selecting the option to mark it as junk or spam.
  3. Submit a report to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov."

The DMV-based social media account, Washingtonian Problems, shared one of the text messages a D.C. resident received.

D.C. residents are not alone in receiving similar messages.

The Maryland Attorney General's Office say they are aware of similar text messages being sent to Black Marylanders. 

"While there are several versions, each text message, at a minimum, instructs the recipient to "board a bus" to be transported to a "plantation" to work as a slave. The text messages appear to be part of a nationwide campaign targeting Black people in the wake of the election. Among the recipients were school-aged and college students, causing significant distress.

It is critical that people who receive these text message report them to their local law enforcement agency to ensure that these hate messages are tracked and to the Attorney General’s Civil Rights Division for evaluation. You can lodge a complaint with our Civil Rights Division using this form: https://bit.ly/48w8WF7 or with the Maryland Commission on Hate Crimes Response and Prevention at https://nohomeforhate.md.gov."

According to 13 News Now in Norfolk, Virginia, numerous individuals in Virginia have received similar messages. Additionally, Black college students at the University of Alabama and Clemson University in South Carolina have reported receiving these messages, according to Sportskeeda.com.

The University of Alabama has reportedly opened an investigation into the text messages.

FOX 5 Atlanta reached out to the GBI and other local law enforcement for additional information. At this time, the GBI says they are not aware of the text messages. 

At this time, it is unknown who is sending the text messages or why they are doing it. 

Some users on Reddit.com believe that Russia may be behind the text messages in an effort to turn American citizens against each other and divide the country.

Officials in multiple states, including Georgia, blamed Russia for multiple bomb threats received at polling stations on Election Day. 

According to officials, this is being investigated by the United States Department of Justice, the FBI, and civil rights divisions.

FOX 5 Atlanta contributed to this report.