Revealed: the scammers who conned savers out of $35m using fake celebrity ads.

On March 8, 2022, the British government promised that it would make substantial changes to the Online Safety Act so that it could better address scams and fraud that threaten the safety of its citizens. Three years later, nothing has changed. The United Kingdom has, in fact, been hardest hit by a series of recent scams - about £9 million has been taken from the British citizens involved.

The scams in question took place through certain advertisements featured on Facebook, short deepfake videos and fake news reports showing publicly known figures, celebrities openly promoting cryptocurrencies and other fraudulent investment schemes. Those less well-versed in the online landscape were inevitably deceived, making them perfect victims.

Following the investigation carried out in this regard, it was discovered that the culprits were operating within an organized network based in Georgia: 85 agents aimed at convincing retirees, small business owners and employees to transfer their savings. The final tally obtained from the scam in question amounted to $35 million.