Islanders are being warned about a fraudulent social media account impersonating the Jersey Evening Post to promote bogus investment opportunities.
The Jersey Financial Services Commission issued the warning after becoming aware of a social media profile using the name “Jersey Evening Post – Financial Advisor (Ivan Vykup)”, which has been sending unsolicited messages and friend requests to members of the public.
People contacted by the account have reportedly been invited to join online groups where the impersonator claims to offer information and advice on various investment products.
The account has no connection to Express‘s sister publication, the Jersey Evening Post, and is believed to have been created for fraudulent purposes.
Investigations have confirmed that the individual or entity behind the account is not a registered company or business in Jersey, does not have a registered address on the island, and is not authorised by the Jersey Financial Services Commission to provide investment advice.
The financial services watchdog said it is not aware of anyone named Ivan Vykup being employed as an investment professional by any registered firm in Jersey.
Anyone who has engaged with the account or believes they may have been targeted is being urged to contact the JFSC’s enforcement team.
Members of the public are also being reminded to stay alert to common signs of scams.
These can include spelling mistakes or poor grammar, messages that create a sense of urgency or pressure, requests to click on links, unusual payment methods, offers that seem too good to be true, and requests for personal or sensitive information.
Scam accounts may also use website addresses or social media names that closely resemble genuine organisations but contain small changes or extra punctuation.
If contacted by suspected scammers, islanders are advised not to reply, click on any links, open attachments, share personal information, or send any money.