Spot the paid promo & deepfake
Lesson 10 of 12 in our free Crypto, Hype & Finfluencers guide: a 5-minute money game with the key points below.
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Quick facts
- Red flag: “EXCLUSIVE: Beloved TV host reveals secret that banks HATE.” — Clickbait headline with a 'secret' and a villain.
- Red flag: “'I turned £250 into £40,000 in a month,' she said.” — Impossible returns, celeb quote you can't verify.
- Red flag: “The interview was quickly taken down,” — Explains away why you can't find it anywhere real.
- Red flag: “so sign up through this link before it's gone.” — Urgency plus a sign-up link.
- Red flag: “A friendly account manager will call you.” — A 'manager' calling = pressure to deposit more.
- Post tagged '#ad' about a trading app → Likely paid promo. Labelled ad. Good that it's labelled — still an ad.
- Influencer uses a personal discount code for a platform → Likely paid promo. Codes usually mean they earn when you sign up.
- A regulator's free guide on spotting scams → Not obviously paid. Public information, no sales pitch.
- 'Gifted' crypto with a thank-you shout-out → Likely paid promo. Gifted = they got something. That's a promotion.
- Fact: “AI can create realistic fake videos and voice notes of real people.” — So a video isn't proof any more.
- Myth: “If an ad appears on a big platform, it must have been checked.” — Scam ads slip through all the time.
- Fact: “You can report scam adverts.” — Report them on the platform, and to the advertising regulator.