SINGAPORE — On Friday, June 3, police warned the public to remain vigilant against fake online articles featuring Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong allegedly endorsing cryptocurrency auto-trading programs that are described as highly lucrative.
These fake articles, which are usually paid advertisements, act as “clickbait” by directing users to different websites once they click on links in these articles.
These websites offer investments through cryptocurrency trading or other financial products. Users would receive calls from “representatives” of the system after providing their contact details.
Prime Minister Lee has been falsely linked to fake articles about auto-trading cryptocurrency programs such as BitlQ that claim these programs have generated “massive profits”, according to police.
Police have strongly advised the public to check and clarify any information against sources such as the Directory of Financial Institutions, the Register of Representatives and the Investor Alert List on the Monetary Authority of Singapore website. , before making any investment decision.
Besides Prime Minister Lee, Minister of Commerce and Industry Gan Kim Yong and Minister of Health Ong Ye Kung have also recently been falsely linked to products online and posted messages on Facebook warning them. .
In a May 26 post, Gan warned of an ad that misrepresented him as promoting a tea claiming to stabilize blood sugar.
On April 26, Mr. Ong posted on Facebook a warning to the public to ignore doctored photos of him endorsing medical products.
