How the Scam Works
Fraudsters are creating fake news articles that appear to be from reputable publishers such as The Guardian to lure victims into investment scams. The articles, shared on social media, contain links to cloned websites where victims' personal details are stolen. Once details are provided, scammers contact victims by phone to persuade them to invest money on fake platforms, with no real investments behind them.
Examples of Fake Stories
One fabricated article claims billionaire Jim Ratcliffe stormed out of a BBC interview after presenter Laura Kuenssberg revealed his personal finances, and that he used a secret online investment platform that made others wealthy. Another fake story features David Attenborough supposedly profiting from an investment platform. The articles use real bylines and design elements identical to the legitimate news sites, making them convincing. A reader described one fake as a 'very good clone'.
Use of AI and Cloned Platforms
Fact-checking charity Full Fact noted that an image in the fake Ratcliffe article had a SynthID watermark, indicating it was created using Google AI tools. The links in the articles lead to cloned trading platforms, such as a fake version of the Kraken exchange. Victims are then encouraged to invest money, which is stolen by the scammers.
Response from The Guardian and Kraken
A Guardian spokesperson said: 'The Guardian is one of several trusted media companies whose brand and reputation is exploited by criminals... Social media and advertising platforms have the greater visibility required to detect, block and prevent some of this activity at source and need to do more.' Nick Percoco, Kraken chief security officer, stated: 'Criminals clone our brand precisely because it is trusted, then use invented news stories and AI-generated images to push people toward a copycat site that quietly takes their money.' Kraken actively monitors for impersonation domains and works with registrars and law enforcement.
What Victims Can Do
Readers should check URLs carefully and be sceptical of articles that promote specific investment companies. The Guardian does not provide highlighted links to investment platforms in its articles. If money or financial details have been handed over, victims should contact their bank immediately and report the matter to Report Fraud.
