Kohler Ad is a Scam (and so are you)

Hi Scott,

My wife and I have followed the Barefoot Investor program for years. It got us out of a pit of debt and we've been debt-free ever since. I'm now happily retired. The other day I saw a 'news' article on social media quoting both you and Alan Kohler endorsing a new AI platform. Is this something you're involved in?

Reg

G'day Reg,

It's a scam.

The other day I rang Bushy – a bloke I know who does stonework – about a job at my place.

"Am I talking to the real Scott Pape?" he asked.

Huh?

"Because you and Alan Kohler are on my Facebook feed promoting crypto scams," he laughed.

Bushy wasn't wrong.

Scammers use AI to create fake news stories featuring well-known Australians (like me and Alan) supposedly revealing a "secret investment platform". The ads often look like an ABC article, complete with the logo and a fake interview on 7.30.

Click the link and things move fast.

Another reader this week told me she clicked one of these ads. Within seconds the phone rang. A friendly voice congratulated her for "getting in early" and asked for just $400 to start.

Then came the hook: all they needed was the 16 digits on her bank card.

Thankfully her husband overheard the conversation and said the magic words:

"Hang on… is this a scam?"

She hung up. Good move. Because if you hand over those details, the scammers won't just take $400. They'll take everything they can.

For the record, I do not run secret crypto trading platforms. Neither does Alan Kohler.

And if you ever see an ad online claiming we do, there's only one thing you should do.

Don't click.