Scam uses celeb names to make it look genuine
QI’VE had lots of emails all leading to the same place. Some come from friends although there is no message other than “this is really interesting”. Others are from random people.
I know you should delete emails where the sender is unknown. But when they come from people you know, it’s hard because it might be important or interesting!
So I opened one – and the link led to a Daily Mirror page which said comedian Jim Davidson had told Good Morning Britain he had solved his financial problems and made a fortune investing in Bitcoin.
I know nothing about investment. Should I do this? Katie L
ANO, no and no. Everything about this is fake. The Mirror page does not exist. It’s a clever copy. Nor does the story appear anywhere else because it is all a lie concocted by scammers. The Good Morning Britain link is also a lie – what you have is a screen grab plus some cut and paste for the pretend newspaper story.
Jim Davidson was declared bankrupt in 2006 because he owed £700,000 or so in taxes but his route back to better financial health was through hard work – rather than some magic money route.
Bitcoin is the best known “cryptocurrency” – a sort of money outside any government control, existing only on the internet. It is used by drug dealers, money launderers and other criminals as well as some legitimate users.
Over the past year, it has gone up and down in a way that makes a yo-yo look stable. Those behind this email hope you will send them cash for “investment”. It’s almost certain you’ll never see your money again.
Emails seem to come from friends because their lists have been hi-jacked. Then it is easy to send more from.
But even if Davidson – or other famous people used in the same racket – had invested and made money, it would be luck not judgment. Celebrity endorsement is nonsense. They earn a lot of money because they are good at what they do. When it comes to financial matters, they are usually as clueless as anyone. Our advice is delete, delete, delete.