The latest batch of get-rich-quick scams plaguing the Internet are directing users to a scheme called “Immediate Luminary“, and they’re largely the same as their predecessors, using fake celebrity stories and social media ads to hook in potential victims.
Our regular readers will be familiar with how these schemes operate…
First, a sponsored advert on social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter claiming some well-known celebrity has released or exposed details on some ‘revolutionary’ money making system.
Second, the advert links to a spoof news webpage detailing how the celebrity exposed the system that can make anyone rich by doing nothing.
Thirdly, that spoof news webpage links to the get-rich-quick scam website, which is chock-full of misleading claims about how rich you can get once you hand over your email address and sign up for an account.
And finally, once a potential victim signs up, they’re forwarded to some unregulated trading platform, urged to deposit a few hundred bucks where they’re promised all they need to do it sit back and relax and watch the money roll in.
Sponsored Content. Continued below…
Of course, that’s not what’s going to happen. In reality, that money is almost definitely going to be lost (or stolen) leaving the victim out of pocket and without their promised riches.
The latest batch of this type of get-rich-quick scam is going under the name of “Immediate Luminary” and it’s just the same as previous iterations of the same scam (previous iterations including names like Bitcoin Loophole, Bitcoin Trader, The Brit Method, Oracle Trader)
Circling back to step 1 from above, in this case… the social media sponsored adverts are claiming radio broadcaster Sara Cox has exposed some get-rich-quick system on television. The social media ads link to a fake BBC article (hint to why it’s fake: it’s not hosted at bbc.co.uk). See below.
In turn these fake news articles link to the landing page of the “Immediate Luminary” get-rich-quick scam which urges users to sign up using fake testimonials and unrealistic claims of wealth gain.
No celebrities, including Sara Cox, are in any way affiliated with these scams.
To reiterate, nearly all users who sign up to these scams will ultimately lose money. We recommend avoiding them.
