Scam warning over fake celeb ads using Holly Willoughby and Meghan Markle that could cost you THOUSANDS
CELEBRITIES and business moguls are being used to trick Brits into clicking phoney ads – and even lure them into dodgy online scams.
Top names like Piers Morgan, Richard Branson and This Morning hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield have all been used by scammers for fake online ads.
Some online ads are relatively harmless, using celeb names to attract more clicks on a website.
But cyber experts and UK fraud police have warned The Sun about fake celeb endorsements for Bitcoin schemes – which could see Brits losing huge sums of money.
It's not a new problem: tech giants like Facebook and Google have both been caught profiting from phoney online ads – while Brits lose out to scammers and digital crooks.
Ad networks make a mint, fuelled by easy-to-click but highly misleading ads that earn quick cash for scammers.
"Simply put, people tend to believe a recognisable figure as opposed to an unknown one," the scam hunter, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Sun.
But you still have to be careful, even when using the register.
By registering you will be able to:
- Save and resume a partially completed report
- Track progress of your report
- Add information to your report
- Call Action Fraud to discuss your report
- Receive an update by email
If you continue as a guest you will only be able to receive updates by email or post.
You can also report to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 Monday to Friday 8am - 8pm. If you are calling from abroad please call +44 300 123 2040.
If you are a business, charity or other organisation which is currently suffering a live cyber attack (in progress), please call 0300 123 2040 immediately.
This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please note, if you are member of the public you must call to report through Action Fraud's core opening hours.
All of the advertisements pictured in this story make false claims, and you should ignore their promises. Do not invest money you cannot afford to lose, and verify any financial institutions you deal with through the FCA first.
In other news, a huge PayPal email scam has targeted thousands of Brits.
An Amazon Alexa snooping-blocker that jams the microphone of your Echo smart speaker has been developed.
Instagram users feared the app may have been filming them through their iPhone camera.
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And, a security vulnerability that could let hackers set fire to smartphone fast chargers has been revealed.
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