Television presenter Matt Shirvington has issued a warning to viewers regarding a financial scam that has been circulating, featuring a fake interview between him and Sam Kerr. This scam has already defrauded some individuals of thousands of dollars.
Scammers have been exploiting the name and image of Matildas captain Sam Kerr in a phony interview, attempting to persuade people to sign up for a fake online trading platform.
The fake interview, falsely claiming to be from a Sunrise segment, depicts host Shirvington arguing with Kerr about a fictitious assertion that she earned money through the platform.
The fraudulent article quotes the soccer star saying, “You don’t believe me? Give me 375 dollars and I’ll make a million with it in 3–4 months!”
Sunrise’s consumer correspondent Shaun White disclosed on the show that Seven had received numerous emails from worried viewers who had fallen victim to the scam.
Shirvington urged viewers not to click on the links associated with the scam, emphasizing the importance of protecting oneself.
The scam is part of a trend where fake news articles or “deepfake” scams utilize celebrities’ images to deceive individuals into parting with their money.
White explained that these scams build trust using familiar faces, then request around $250 from victims to start a small investment, eventually leading to significant financial losses.
The fake interview circulating online pretends to be based on a Sunrise segment where host Shirvington argues with Kerr about a bogus claim that she made money by investing on the platform.
Credit: Sunrise/supplied
Scammers have also used images of Gina Rinehart and David Koch in cryptocurrency scams advertised online.
The National Anti-Scam Centre reported that fake news articles and celebrity-based online trading platform scams cost Australians $8 million last year.
It’s important to research and verify before investing money, as scammers are using deceptive tactics to lure unsuspecting individuals into financial traps.
