Canadian lottery winner Scott Gurney has confirmed that scammers impersonating him on Facebook have scammed unsuspecting victims out of their bitcoins. To counter scammers, Gurney said he stopped accepting or sending friend requests on the social media platform.
‘Too good to be true’
Canadian Lotto Max jackpot winner Scott Gurney has said that people using his name have been asking social media users to donate bitcoins are likely scammers, according to a report. Gurney, who won $55 million, confirmed that a person told him that he lost $300 worth of bitcoin to a scammer posing as a lottery winner.
To lure victims, the scammers allegedly use fake Facebook accounts showing Gurney holding the lottery check. according to a report In the Times Colonist, a person lost $450 worth of bitcoins after contacting one of the fake accounts. However, in his message to people who respond to scammers’ promises, Gurney said they should beware of offers that are too good to be true. He added:
I’m sorry that people may have been unlucky and are looking for those avenues, but I don’t know many people who hand over cash easily.
The report also revealed that some of the fake Facebook accounts had even gone so far as to discredit other accounts. However, to counter the scammers’ tactics, Gurney, a financial adviser, said he will stop accepting or sending friend requests on Facebook.
Meanwhile, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, which presented the $55 million check to Gurney, issued a statement warning punters to be wary of solicited messages asking them to divulge private information.
“Anyone who receives any type of unsolicited message should be cautious and not reveal any personal information or make any monetary payment,” warned Canadian Crown Corporation.
The lottery company also urged recipients to report such unsolicited messages to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Center.
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