$400 stolen from woman in fake Robert Irwin scam

In an age where the internet has become a central hub for communication, shopping, and even financial transactions, it’s more important than ever to stay vigilant against the ever-evolving tactics of online scammers. Those of us who may not have grown up with this technology can be particularly vulnerable to these sophisticated schemes. A recent incident involving a scam that used the likeness of Australian celebrity Robert Irwin serves as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking online.

Susan, an unsuspecting Aussie, thought she had stumbled upon a golden opportunity to increase her wealth when she encountered an online advertisement featuring Robert Irwin. The ad, which appeared on Facebook Marketplace, showed a digitally altered image of the young conservationist in handcuffs, with a story about how he had been arrested. But the twist in the tale was a supposed revelation from Irwin about a simple investment strategy that could make everyday Australians rich without the need to work hard.

Celebrity scams are on the rise, and Robert Irwin’s image was exploited to trick a woman into losing $400. Credit: @bay939geelong / Instagram

The scam used the trusted image of Irwin to lure in victims like Susan, who was a fan of the Irwin family and their work at the Australia Zoo. The ad led her to a website where she set up a phone call with a man claiming to be from the UK, who explained how she could make significant returns by transferring money into his crypto-trading platform. Convinced by his seemingly genuine demeanour, Susan transferred $400, only to realise too late that the money was sent to an account based in Nigeria.

Susan’s story is not unique. Scammers have been exploiting the images of well-known Australians like Sophie Monk and Karl Stefanovic to create fake endorsements for their fraudulent schemes. These deepfake videos and fake news articles are designed to convince people that celebrities are making huge sums of money using online investment trading platforms when in reality, it’s all a scam.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Australian Federal Police have issued warnings about these scams, urging Australians to be hyper-vigilant when scrolling through social media. Scammers often use social media ads, deepfake videos, and fake news articles to attract attention and encourage people to input their personal information on scam websites.

Here’s how these online investment trading platform scams typically work: 

  • Scammers create enticing advertisements using celebrities to grab your attention. 
  • They include a link to a scam website where you’re asked to input personal details. 
  • Initially, they ask for a small investment, often around $250. 
  • Victims are then directed to download a third-party trading platform to access an online dashboard showing their ‘investments’.
  • Scammers may allow victims to withdraw a small amount to appear legitimate. 
  • When victims try to withdraw all their funds, they’re either locked out or hit with exorbitant withdrawal fees.

In the past year alone, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has shut down over 7,300 phishing and investment scam websites. Australians have reported losing at least $180 million in cryptocurrency to investment scams between 2023 and 2024.

To protect yourself and your hard-earned money, here are some tips: 

  • Always be sceptical of online ads promising quick wealth, especially those featuring celebrities.
  • Do thorough research before investing in any platform.
  • Never share personal information or make payments to unverified sources.
  • Use secure, well-known payment methods and avoid transferring money to foreign accounts.
  • If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Staying informed and cautious is your best defence against these cunning online scams. How do you stay cautious while browsing online? Join the conversation and share your tips in the comments below. Let’s help each other stay one step ahead of the scammers!

Also read: Been scammed? Here’s how to rebuild your finances

Abegail Abrugar
Abegail Abrugar
Abby is a dedicated writer with a passion for coaching, personal development, and empowering individuals to reach their full potential. With a strong background in leadership, she provides practical insights designed to inspire growth and positive change in others.

2 COMMENTS

  1. I was scammed last year (on a very small scale): I bought some sports shoes from what turned out to be a fake website. My main takeaways were (1) my debit card provider (Wise) was very helpful and ultimately I was refunded the amount I had paid; and (2) they mentioned to me a very helpful website called scamdoc.com where you can input the name of any website you are potentially concerned about and they provide a “trust rating” between 1 and 99. (Of course when I tried that for the website I had used, the score was 1!!).

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