Austrian presenters involved in scandals? The truth behind Facebook ads

The alleged scandals of the presenters

Surprisingly, German-language advertisements appear on the Indonesian Facebook page “Humas Polda Jatim” that suggest sensations about the Austrian TV presenters Silvia Schneider and Mirjam Weichselbraun.

However, instead of expected scandal reports, these links lead to Bitcoin investment platforms. It's a familiar pattern: This practice aims to pique users' interest by promising insider information, only to lead them into financial traps in the form of dubious investment sites.

The promises are big, the reality is sobering: investments on such dubious sites often lead to total losses, leaving behind desperate investors and a network of internationally operating fraudsters.

The fact check

This scam is widespread and aims to gain the trust of users through the apparent involvement of well-known personalities. Sensational stories and the names of well-known personalities such as Armin Assinger, Armin Wolf , Barbara Schöneberger , Olaf Scholz , Markus Lanz , Harald Lesch and many others are used for this purpose.

The platforms often claim to offer fast and high returns, but the truth is that they are well-organized fraud networks. The winnings are fictitious and as soon as an attempt is made to withdraw money, high fees appear or the contact persons disappear. This scheme has already made many victims, including those contacted by fake authorities promising help for a fee.

What we found out

The analysis shows that fraud cases follow a similar pattern: celebrities are used as bait to feign credibility. The pages and calls from so-called “brokers” are part of a sophisticated fraud scheme designed to extract money from victims. Payouts of the supposed winnings are not possible; the money invested is irretrievably lost. The perpetrators operate internationally and use advanced techniques to remain undetected.

Questions and answers about celebrity testimonial scams:

Question 1: Are celebrities actually involved in these investment platforms?
Answer 1: No, their identities are being misused without their knowledge.

Question 2: How can users protect themselves from such scams?
Answer 2: By critically questioning advertisements and carefully examining information.

Question 3: What should you do if you are a victim of such a scam?
Answer 3: Report the fraud to the local authorities and refrain from making further payments.

Question 4: Can these fraudsters be legally prosecuted?
Answer 4: International law enforcement is challenging, but there are cases where networks have been dismantled.

Question 5: How do users recognize legitimate offers from dubious ones?
Answer 5: Through thorough research and avoiding platforms that promise unrealistic profits.

Conclusion

Vigilance and information are the best weapons against online fraud. It is crucial to critically examine tempting offers and be aware of the risks of online investments. Users should always check the credibility of offers and not be blinded by supposedly quick wealth. Using celebrities as bait is a strong indication of fraud.

This article was made possible by the combined strength of our community power in the Mimikama forum! A big thank you to all Mimikamas involved. You can see how we came to these conclusions here: Strange Facebook ad supposedly from an Indonesian police station

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