SCAM WARNING: Fake ABC News Sites Target Australians with AI-Powered Investment Fraud
Scammers are using fake versions of the ABC News website to promote fraudulent investment platforms, targeting Australians via Facebook ads. The ads feature AI-generated images of Australian celebrities.
How the Scam Works
The scheme begins with a Facebook ad showing a dramatic 'on-air revelation' using AI-generated images of Australian celebrities. These ads frequently involve senior ABC reporters and politicians, including Opposition Leader Angus Taylor and Senator Jacqui Lambie.
Clicking the ad leads to a near-perfect clone of the ABC News website, including functional iview and Listen tabs. The fake article describes a public figure caught hiding a "secret approach" to investing, using AI-generated photos and punchy language typical of generative AI.
Near the bottom, an "Editor's note" falsely claims the platform has been investigated and found legitimate. The note includes a warning that time is running out – a classic scam tactic designed to encourage impulsive behavior.
Clicking the promoted Hexonix 365 link leads to a fake investment platform promising high returns with celebrity testimonials. Victims who fill out the contact form receive a direct call from a scammer.
Scale and Impact
The scam operates on an industrial scale, with similar campaigns running in Canada, the UK, and many European nations. It is estimated to have stolen at least $350 million globally.
- One Australian man lost over $500,000
- Another lost over $100,000
- More than 3,000 fake investment "brands" have been created by the scammer group, identified with assistance from Qurium
- Facebook ads linking to the fake ABC News site were found active across April, May, and June 2026, with many remaining active for several days before removal
Tech Platform Involvement
Meta, Facebook's owner, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Catriona Lowe, deputy head of the ACCC, called for digital platforms to cooperate more to stop investment scams. Scammers use "cloaking" tactics to avoid detection, according to Jerome Dangu of Confiant.
Celebrities have complained to Meta about misuse of their images, but the ads continue to appear. A Reuters investigation indicated Meta projected 10% of its 2024 revenue would come from scam ads, approximately $10 billion.
Who Is Behind This?
The scam is linked to operators in Eastern Europe and Israel.
- Test websites used the word "shablon" (Bulgarian for "template")
- The money trail leads to an international money-laundering network based in Israel
- An Israeli operator working with the same group was convicted of laundering over $10 million in a Sydney court
- The Australian Federal Police (AFP) declined to comment on investigations into this group but noted their assistance in Asian scam centre investigations