Fake News Websites Used to Funnel Victims to Counterfeit Investment Platforms

Cybercriminals are using highly convincing clones of established news websites to drive victims to fraudulent investment platforms, replacing legitimate reporting with fabricated stories designed to build trust before asking for money.

One campaign cloned the website of UK newspaper The Guardian, publishing a fake article claiming billionaire Jim Ratcliffe had stormed out of a BBC interview after presenter Laura Kuenssberg exposed a "secret" investment platform he allegedly used to generate wealth. The article falsely claimed the interview was later removed from BBC iPlayer to suppress the information.

The fake page closely replicated The Guardian's appearance, including its fonts, layout, navigation menus and even the byline of a genuine Guardian journalist. According to fact-checking organisation Full Fact, at least one promotional image carried Google's SynthID watermark, indicating it had been created using Google's AI image-generation tools.

Embedded throughout the article were links directing readers to a counterfeit cryptocurrency trading website disguised as the legitimate exchange Kraken. Instead of opening an account with the real exchange, visitors unknowingly submitted their personal details to scammers.

Victims were then contacted by phone and persuaded to register on a separate investment platform, where they were instructed to transfer funds. The platforms displayed fabricated account balances and trading profits to encourage larger deposits, despite no actual investments taking place. Once victims attempted to withdraw their money, they were either ignored, asked to pay additional "fees", or lost access to the platform entirely.

Researchers say the campaign demonstrates an evolution in investment fraud, with scammers no longer relying solely on fake trading websites. Instead, they first manufacture credibility by cloning trusted media outlets and inserting fabricated interviews, AI-generated imagery and false endorsements before funnelling readers into fraudulent investment schemes.