If you pay, you lose your money "Alfred Heer's last wish?" - Beware of this brazen scam
Criminals are using the death of former SVP National Councillor Alfred Heer to steal money with fake online advertisements. Prominent names are used to create trust - those who pay in lose their money.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Fraudsters are placing fake advertisements with the name of the late politician Alfred Heer.
- The ads promote an alleged investment platform with unrealistic promises of profits.
- Politicians urgently warn against the scam and call for caution.
Shortly after the death of Alfred Heer, advertisements appeared on Facebook and Instagram that were designed to look like editorial articles. The ads suggested that Heer had bequeathed his fortune or company shares to acquaintances and an alleged investment platform.
The scam follows a pattern that has been around for a long time: a prominent name is used to create the illusion of seriousness, and at the end users are asked to invest a comparatively small amount - usually around CHF 250. High profits are promised within a short period of time.
"Everything is a lie and deception"
SVP National Councillor Mauro Tuena, who knew Alfred Heer personally, reacted indignantly to CH Media, which first reported on the fake ad with Alfred Heer. Acquaintances had suddenly approached him about an advertisement claiming that Heer had left him a fortune worth millions. "That's absolutely disrespectful. Everything about it is false," said Tuena.
He immediately reported the fake ad to the Federal Office for Cybersecurity and Fedpol. Both offices reacted quickly, said Tuena. However, he did not receive any feedback from the platforms concerned for a long time.
Celebrities as decoys
This is not an isolated case. Fake advertisements in which well-known politicians or business leaders advertise dubious investments appear time and again. Names such as Christoph Blocher, Albert Rösti, entrepreneur Peter Spuhler and UBS boss Sergio Ermotti have also been misused.
The fraudsters promise guaranteed profits, sometimes several thousand francs per week. Those who pay in usually never see their money again.
Authorities and politicians advise caution. Serious investments are not advertised via social media advertising with celebrities or with guaranteed returns. Users should be suspicious if advertisements look like editorial articles and urge them to make quick deposits.
