London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jul 19, 2026

AI-Generated Scams: How Fraudsters Use Fake Celebrity Articles and Paid Facebook Ads to Promote Crypto Investment Schemes

A writer explains that they have been falsely represented as conducting interviews with famous people, such as Zoe Ball, Jeremy Clarkson, and Chris Tarrant, about making large sums of money through crypto currency investments.
The interviews and articles, which appeared on Facebook in a BBC template with the writer's byline, were actually AI-generated scams.

The famous individuals and the writer themselves did not participate in these fake stories or endorse crypto investments.

A senior consultant at cybersecurity firm Penn Test Partners, Tony Gee, explained that scam posts on Facebook promoting fake investment schemes are likely paid-for ads.

He identified this by the unique value in the URL that Facebook adds to track outbound clicks.

Meta, Facebook's owner, confirmed that they don't allow fraudulent activity on their platforms and have removed the identified ads.

Scammers place fake ads on Facebook by using tools that quickly redirect users to harmful pages after the initial click.

These redirections bypass Facebook's automated detection systems, allowing the scams to go undetected initially.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Iran Claims It Destroyed Bahrain’s Main Artificial Intelligence Center in Missile and Drone Strike
Brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate Who Turned "Toxic Masculinity" Into a Brand Arrested in Miami as Britain Seeks Their Extradition
Trump Administration Pressures Banks to Restrict Financial Access for Undocumented Immigrants
Passenger Bound for Germany Refused to Sit Beside a Woman on a Plane — Then Slapped a Flight Attendant
Ukraine’s Leadership Rift Spills Into the Streets as Protesters Target Army Chief
Ukrainian Drone Barrage Kills Eight and Strikes Russian Logistics Network
Key Trends to Watch
Financial Conduct Authority Warns Cloud and Digital Risks Are Becoming a Financial Priority
Jeffrey Donaldson Appeals Sexual Abuse Conviction as Democratic Unionist Party Opens Review
Welsh Health Authorities Launch Emergency Meningitis Vaccination Programme for Students
Scottish Business Activity Falls for Third Month as Companies Face Rising Costs
Bank of England Regulators Demand Better Access to Digital Banking Services
United Kingdom Cuts Bilateral Aid to Several African Countries by Up to Ninety Per Cent
United Kingdom Introduces Tougher Deportation Rules After Rochdale Exploitation Scandal
NHS England Launches Wearable Technology Plan to Reduce Sepsis Deaths
Amazon Web Services Billing Error Sends Trillion-Dollar Invoices to British Companies
Bank of England Takes Direct Regulatory Role Over Major Global Cloud Providers
Extreme Summer Heat Drives Record Fire Risk and Rising Deaths Across Britain
United Kingdom Nationalisation of British Steel Sparks Diplomatic Dispute With China
United Kingdom Economy Shows Weak Growth Ahead of Major Autumn Budget
Andy Burnham Set to Become United Kingdom Prime Minister After Labour Leadership Victory
The Ten World Cup Finals That Defined Football History
Smartphones Are Getting More Expensive, Sales Are Collapsing, and Even Apple Admits: "Prices Will Rise"
The Monaco Bombing Has Become a Test of Ukraine’s Intelligence Accountability
Leadership Change and Strategic Rivalry Redraw the Political Map
Energy Risk, Uneven Growth and the New Geography of Global Capital
The AI Race Enters Its Infrastructure Era
Security and resilience remain long-term national priorities
Britain balances growth ambitions with public finance pressures
Regional devolution becomes a defining theme of the next Labour era
Industrial strategy returns to the centre of British economic policy
Political Instability Remains a Challenge for UK Investment Confidence
Brexit Economic Debate Continues as Public Concerns Over Long-Term Impact Remain
UK Climate Risks Rise as Met Office Warns Extreme Weather Is Becoming More Common
Housing Shortages and Regional Inequality Become Key Priorities Under Incoming Labour Leadership
National Health Service Reform Remains One of Britain’s Biggest Political Challenges
Bank of England Remains at Centre of UK Economic Debate Over Inflation and Growth
UK Economy Shows Recovery Signs but Households and Businesses Remain Under Pressure
Britain Deepens European Defence Cooperation as NATO Allies Seek Stronger Security Capabilities
United Kingdom Expands Sanctions Against Russian Cyber Networks Over Security Threats
UK Industrial Strategy Faces Test After Government Takes Control of British Steel
British Businesses Seek Policy Clarity as Andy Burnham Prepares to Lead Labour Government
Andy Burnham’s Labour Leadership Signals Major Shift Toward Regional Power and Devolution
British Steel Nationalisation Creates New UK-China Tensions Over Control of Strategic Industry
For 36 Years, He Scammed About 300 Luxury Hotels — Until He Was Caught
England's World Cup Exit Expected to Cost Hospitality and Retail £334 Million
Former ICC Prosecutor Aide Speaks Publicly About Allegations Against Karim Khan
Opposition Raises Questions Over June Heatwave Power Grid Pressures
Mastercard Explores Sale of Majority Stake in UK Payments Operator Vocalink
Boeing Forecasts Global Commercial Aircraft Fleet Will Double by 2045
×