Which? responds to the news that Sir Billy Connolly has warned fans of scammers impersonating him online

Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said:

“This is yet another example of fraudsters using AI to create highly convincing scams designed to part people from their hard-earned cash. 

“Under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom has the power to take action against platforms that fail to prevent fraudulent content being uploaded and circulated on their sites. The regulator must not hesitate to take action against firms which break the rules and it must also ensure that its forthcoming codes of practice to make platforms responsible for  fraudulent paid-for advertising on their sites are as robust as possible. The government must also legislate to stop scam ads on sites which are currently outside the scope of the Online Safety Act. 

“In the meantime, consumers should be highly suspicious of any messages which claim to be from public figures asking for personal details. If you think you have been targeted by a scam, you can report it directly to the platform in question and the National Cyber Security Centre.”

-ENDS-