Viral posts suggest Google Maps imagery shows a human trafficking plea in L.A., but police say there's no evidence of nefarious activity.

Disturbing messages asking for help have been spotted in Los Angeles and have been visible on Google Maps for years.

The signs, which began circulating social media last week, included various words and slogans, such as “HELP” and “TRAFICO,” which means “traffic” in Spanish, “FEDERAL,” “FBI,” “L-A-P-D,” and

Ominous “HELP” messages carved onto debris in Los Angeles have raised alarm among social media users. Zoomed in Google Maps satellite images of a rail yard off of the San Bernardino Freeway reveal messages that read “HELP” and “TRAFICO,” which means “traffic” in Spanish.

The satellite images showed the words "HELP," TRAFICO," and "LAPD," which can still be seen by plugging in the coordinates 34°03’18’N 118°13’30’W on Google Earth. The location is a lot owned by Union Pacific, situated near several major roads and freeways, and right next to the Cesar Chavez Bridge.

The self-driving taxi company Waymo launched in Los Angeles in November, bringing roughly 100 autonomous vehicles to neighborhoods from Santa Monica to West Hollywood.

Police say there is no evidence of trafficking or criminal activity after messages written with pipes and wood went viral on social media.

🔥🚨BREAKING NEWS: This disturbing message was spotted on Google Maps in Los Angeles, California, with the words “Help” and “Traffico” written in the debris, surrounded by shipping containers. It has been confirmed that the lot next to this location is a shipping yard which has… pic.twitter.com/swvBnSogXu

A patch of undeveloped land in downtown Los Angeles is going viral on social media for some distressing messages seen from above, but police have confirmed that they found no illicit activity in the area.

After wildfires swept through Los Angeles, California, on January 7, 2025, an old clip from 2017 recirculated online in various languages with a false claim that it shows a man rescuing a rabbit from the recent blazes.

Internet users are shocked by the discovery of disturbing messages spotted in Los Angeles. The large words, which include 'HELP', 'LAPD', 'FEDERAL', and 'TRAFICO', appear to be spelled out using construction materials and debris.

A Los Angeles region near a shipping port has shot into the limelight after social media users spotted the words 'help' and 'traffico' on Google satellite live images. The words were written in the debris of the wildfires that have ravaged the region.