As a seasoned researcher with years of experience navigating the digital landscape and uncovering scams, I must say that this latest crypto scam impersonating BBC News is nothing short of ingenious – and infuriatingly deceptive. The sophistication of these operations is astounding; it’s as if they’ve studied the BBC news layout down to every pixel, even incorporating a familiar face like Jane Wakefield in their ruse.
On platform X, there was a false news article pretending to be from the BBC, using sensational titles about Indian tycoon Anant Ambani to attract attention. The aim was to trick people into a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme.
As a researcher delving into digital fraud, I’ve come across an intricate scheme where crypto scammers have been deceiving the Indian populace. They’ve devised a cunning trick, fabricating false BBC News reports and sensational headlines that highlight Indian billionaire Anant Ambani in a clickbait manner. These fake news articles are used as bait to lure unsuspecting victims into cryptocurrency scams.
A fictitious piece, originally linked to ex-BBC journalist Jane Wakefield, alleges that the influential business magnate, Ambani, has supported a highly profitable cryptocurrency trading platform. This platform is said to transform modest investments into massive wealth in just a few short months.
Initially, it seems that the X post, disguised as an advertisement possibly sent from a compromised account, bears a strong resemblance to authentic news articles on the BBC site. It features the BBC logo, headline, and layout that mimics the trustworthy news outlet’s official website design.
Instead of clicking the link leading to “bbc.com,” you’re directed to “nguyenhm.com” instead. The page that loads appears to be the BBC site at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it lacks common clickable elements found on the genuine BBC site. All functional links lead to a cryptocurrency trading platform rather than news sections or the homepage, suggesting this may not be the real BBC website and could potentially be a scam.
As a crypto investor, I recently came across an article claiming it was an interview with Anant Ambani, where he supposedly had a heated exchange in response to questions about wealth and poverty. The piece attributes him saying provocative statements such as “poverty is a choice” and encourages people to change their lifestyle by exploring unconventional income streams.
In a short while, the discussion shifts towards financial matters, with Ambani presenting Everix Edge – a promising investment platform. He confidently states that an initial investment of around INR 26,000 ($30) could potentially multiply into millions within a span of 3 to 4 months.
Everix Edge markets itself as a cutting-edge investment platform that combines blockchain and AI technologies. It promises to utilize arbitrage trading by capitalizing on price disparities among well-known exchanges such as Coinbase, Binance, Kraken, Poloniex, and Bittrex. However, it has been found to present fraudulent endorsements from Canadian broadcaster Kevin Newman and billionaire David Thompson.
Instead, users are asked to provide their personal details like name, residential address, email, and phone number for account activation purposes. Unfortunately, it is possible that this information might be misused for fraudulent activities such as scams intended to take advantage of them financially.
For a while now, this fraudulent activity has been around, and it’s even resurfaced before in articles that resembled BBC-style reporting back in May 2024. Indian officials have stepped in before too; they’ve ordered the deletion of posts advertising the scheme on Meta and X platforms, as well as blocked related websites, all happening in June.
It appears that the change didn’t bring much success since the con artists have shifted their operation to a new domain host instead.
Previously, cryptocurrency news outlets shared reports about a fraudulent scheme that emerged in 2019, which falsely presented an interview with actress Kate Winslet from the BBC. In this phony interview, Winslet was said to have made her wealth through cryptocurrency investments and encouraged readers to follow suit. However, it turned out to be a scam.
Over the years, crypto scammers have impersonated several other celebrities including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and Apple CEO Tim Cook to promote their nefarious schemes.
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2024-11-05 13:02