Just a few weeks ago we reported on the dubious arrests of Stefan Raab and Armin Wolf. Dieter Bohlen and Dominik Wlazny from “The Beer Party” reported from Austria. Now there is another attempt at fraud using the same nasty scam. This time the Austrian former ski racer and TV presenter Armin Assinger affected.
Armin Assinger and the epidemic of fake advertising
The latest wave of fraud shows Armin Assinger, a well-known face in the Austrian media landscape, in handcuffs. A picture that certainly caused a stir among fans and admirers of the popular presenter. But as it turns out, the image is nothing more than a product of digital manipulation, part of a sophisticated misinformation scheme.

The ads direct the user to a website that claims to be an online article from OE24. The fraudsters imitate renowned media and use celebrities to hide behind a credible and trustworthy facade.

Exposing the Bitcoin Trap: Dream Profits That Never Become Reality
The aim of the fraudsters is to lure unsuspecting users into a Bitcoin trap. A connection is established to a Bitcoin trading platform called “immediate-edge”, which promises horrendous profits in a very short time. But the reality is far from these empty promises. As early as 2021, the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) warned of “immediate edge”.
“Providers of domestic banking or financial services require authorization under the KWG. However, some companies act without the necessary permission. Information about whether a particular company is authorized by BaFin can be found in the company database . BaFin, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) and the state criminal investigation offices advise extreme caution and thorough prior research to avoid fraud .”
The perfidious game of trust: criminal networks and fake brokers
Once a user signs up on one of these fraudulent websites, they receive a call from a supposed “broker”. This fake broker plays a convincing game by giving tips for “good” investments and encouraging people to invest ever larger amounts. The trap closes when it is too late: a payout of the money that appears to have been won is never possible and the user is left empty-handed.
Abusing Media Logos and Celebrities: The Mask of Fraud
The scammers' tactics are frighteningly sophisticated. They misuse well-known media logos and prominent personalities to disguise their devious intentions. All of the people mentioned, including Armin Assinger, have nothing to do with these frauds - the images were manipulated and the media logos were used without permission.
| Claims | Fact check |
|---|---|
| Armin Assinger was arrested | False , there are no reports or evidence of Armin Assinger's arrest |
| The advertising comes from the website oe24 | False , it is a fake website pretending to be oe24 |
| The immediate-edge Bitcoin trading platform is safe and offers high profits | Wrong , BaFin already issued a warning about “immediate-edge” in 2021 |
| Investments on the fake website result in actual profit | Wrong , the withdrawal is never possible and the money invested is lost |
| Media logos and celebrity images used with permission | False , this is an unauthorized use of media logos and manipulated images |
Conclusion: We live in an age of digital manipulation and disinformation. The recent case of fake advertising targeting celebrities and trusted media brands highlights the need to remain vigilant and critically examine information. It is important not to be fooled by such scams and to develop the habit of verifying the origin and accuracy of information before believing it to be true or acting on it.
Final Thoughts : That a global company like Facebook, which has strict guidelines for sponsored posts, allows such scams in the form of advertisements on its platform is both remarkable and disturbing. Companies and individuals seeking to advertise legitimately often struggle to comply with strict advertising guidelines. Therefore, it is astonishing and disappointing that these fraudulent posts are allowed by Facebook and placed in users' news feeds despite their obvious violations and repeated reporting. This raises questions about the effectiveness and enforcement of Facebook's advertising policies and highlights the need to improve controls and response times to better protect users from such scams.
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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )

