David Koch is ‘dead’ and ‘under arrest’ as fake news scams continue to run wild
David Koch is ‘dead’ and ‘under arrest’ as fake news scams continue to run wild despite Sunrise host begging consumer watchdog to stop them
Scammers can’t seem to keep their stories straight with fake news stories claiming that Sunrise presenter David Koch is both ‘dead’ and ‘under arrest’.
The Channel Seven host, 67, has recently been the subject of multiple cryptocurrency scams using false reports of his death to scam people out of thousands of dollars.
These hoaxes have now expanded to include misleading links claiming that Kochie has been arrested for financial crimes.
But in-the-know viewers have noted the impossibility of arresting a dead person, and find humor in how the scam now contradicts each other.
The latest fake news report features a sloppily edited image of Koch looking distraught as police officers drag him away.
Scammers can’t seem to keep their stories straight with fake news stories claiming Sunrise presenter David Koch (pictured) is both ‘dead’ and ‘under arrest’
“Thousands flock to ATMs after Kochie’s arrest,” reads the fake headline.
Koch was the target of a vicious death hoax earlier this week, when criminals used his image and fake news about his passing to scam people out of thousands of dollars.
He was bombarded with “tributes” this weekend when a Twitter post announcing his death went viral, Crikey reported.
The Seven presenter, 67, has recently been the subject of multiple cryptocurrency scams that use false reports of his death to mislead thousands of people. These hoaxes have now expanded to include misleading links claiming that Kochie has been arrested for financial crimes
Informed viewers have noted the impossibility of arresting a dead person, and find humor in how the scam now contradicts each other
Originating from a hacked account, the tweet contained a link redirecting users to a cryptocurrency scam featuring fraudulent celebrity endorsements purportedly from the likes of Koch, billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates, and others.
“While saying goodbye is never easy, we take comfort in knowing that Kochie lived a full and meaningful life and left a legacy of kindness, warmth and compassion,” the scam tweet read.
The message was accompanied by a black and white photo of Koch looking distraught with his hands in front of his face.
The TV veteran was the target of a vicious death scam earlier this week when criminals used his image and fake news about his passing to scam people out of thousands of dollars
Koch retweeted the post, assuring his followers that despite taking a week off from work, he was “alive and well.”
‘To be clear, I live and enjoy AFL’s Gather Round in Adelaide with my whole family. This stuff really gives me the s**ts,” he said.
Koch has asked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) if there is anything he can do about these scams, but was told they will keep popping up if people keep falling for them.
The owner of the Twitter account, Kimberly Ramirez, told Crikey that she “had no idea” that her hacked account was spreading a crypto scam under the guise of paying tribute to Koch.
She went on to say that she received an email from Twitter alerting her to a login attempt on her account. The email stated that the hacker could have accessed her account from Lake Forest, Illinois.
Koch retweeted the post, assuring his followers that despite taking a week off from work, he was “alive and well”