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Guardian
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Revealed: the scammers who conned savers out of $35m using fake celebrity ads
- An organised network from Georgia scammed savers from UK, Europe, and Canada out of $35m using fake celebrity ads on Facebook and Google.
- Deepfake videos of celebrities like Martin Lewis were used to promote fraudulent schemes, with UK citizens being hardest hit.
- The scam was exposed through leaked call center data shared with international reporting partners.
- Cases of authorised push payment fraud have increased, indicating ongoing challenges in combating scams.
- The scammers operated from Tbilisi and targeted vulnerable individuals, tricking them into transferring millions from their savings accounts.
- Around 6,000 people globally were duped, with a significant number targeted in the UK.
- Digital banks like Revolut, Kroo, and Chase were used for processing payments in these fraudulent activities.
- Victims included retired individuals who endured long calls and were coerced into sharing substantial sums of money.
- The effectiveness of laws like the Online Safety Act in combating fraudulent advertising and protecting the public is under scrutiny.
- Authorities emphasize the need for social media companies to prevent fraudulent material from being promoted on their platforms.
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