Mel: I was hacked by scammers
Star’s fears over bid to lure celeb pals
MEL B called in police over fears her WhatsApp account had been hacked by fraudsters who tried to lure her celeb pals into a cryptocurrency scam.
The former Spice Girl was horrified when a string of A-list contacts began messaging her about a “charity project” that they believed she was working on.
They had been sent messages which appeared to be from her account, encouraging them to donate to a new project set up to “help African children dying of thirst”.
The appeal – also sent to Mel’s family and friends – asked them to make payments using cryptocurrency platform Binance.
They were told they would get a chance to buy Bitcoin at a lower rate in return.
A source close to the 47-year-old star told the Sunday Mirror: “Mel knew nothing of it and called in police straight away.
“The messages were written as if they were from her, using kisses and emojis so they were believable.
“She feels really violated and angry that someone would do this and claim it’s for charity reasons when she does so much charity work herself.”
The messages had been sent under the contact name “Scary Spice MelB” followed by a champagne cork emoji.
The scammers asked recipients to put cash into the supposed charity using cryptocurrency – a digital cash system which operates outside traditional banks.
The appeal directed them to the controversial Binance crypto platform, which has been banned by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority from involvement in any activities which it regulates.
Last week the firm was hit by a hack that put £500million of investors’ funds at risk.
Our source added: “It was the cryptocurrency element that sparked suspicion among some of Mel’s celeb pals, who got in touch asking if it was her.
“Thank God they did as she was able to alert her friends and family and get the
authorities involved. Mel isn’t involved in any of that cryptocurrency stuff, it’s not her scene. But she does do a lot of charity work, which is why the con was so believable.”
It is not known whether any of Mel’s contacts invested in the scam, as police are still investigating.
Mel has had to take action before over the use of her identity online without permission. Pictures of the former X Factor judge were used on social media adverts for weight loss pills in 2016.
Mel was this year awarded an MBE for her campaigning against domestic violence. She also recently backed the Sunday Mirror’s End Period Poverty campaign.
The source said: “Mel does a lot of work for causes close to her heart so it’s doubly upsetting that a fraudster would play on that to try to scam her friends.”
She feels violated that someone would do this and claim it’s for charity SOURCE CLOSE TO MEL B
ON CRYPTO SCAM IN HER NAME