EASTENDERS has released an urgent statement after scammers targeted fans of the BBC soap.
The warning follows similar fraudulent activity aimed at viewers of ITV shows Coronation Street and Emmerdale earlier this week.
The show's official Instagram account posted a message to caution fans about con artists pretending to be affiliated with EastEnders yesterday.
The scam sees fraudsters claiming to represent soap stars or production staff and asking fans for payments in exchange for special interactions, such as meet-and-greets, personalised messages, or set tours.
Fans are encouraged to report any fraudulent contact to the social media platform and to avoid engaging with the scammers.
The statement read: “Please note that no cast member or EastEnders employee will ever make contact to request money for meetings, messages, set visits, or any other interactions.
“If you have been contacted, especially on social media platforms via a direct message or mass message posted to a group, please ensure you report these instances to the relevant platform immediately.
“The EastEnders team.”
EastEnders joins the ranks of other British soaps in battling the ongoing issue, urging the public to remain cautious and reminding viewers that genuine cast or crew members would never solicit money.
Just this week, ITV issued a warning after scammers were found impersonating actors from Coronation Street and Emmerdale in an attempt to con unsuspecting followers.
Stars such as Lisa Riley (Mandy Dingle) and Daniel Brocklebank (Billy Mayhew) took to Instagram to alert their followers about fraudulent accounts using their identities.
In a joint statement shared on social media, the soaps said:
“Please be aware that actors from both Coronation Street and Emmerdale are currently being impersonated by scammers across all social media platforms.
“No cast member will ever directly request money for messages, meetings or any kind of personal interaction on social media.
“We are aware these sophisticated impersonations can include deep-fake footage (where it appears to be the actor talking but isn’t) and personal messages which seem to be realistic and in character. We urge everybody to be vigilant. Please report any concerns to the relevant platform.”
The statement concluded by reminding fans that the only legitimate way to meet cast members is through official ITV Star Tours events.
