Warning issued over scam investment social posts

Warning have been issued about impersonation scams circulating in Jersey.

The government has issued an alert about videos featuring AI deepfakes of ministers Elaine Millar and Sam Mezec.

The deputies are depicted in a tv news interview advising people to put money into a government-run investment platform.

No such platform exists.

Islanders are being advised against engaging with unsolicited messages and told not to click on links associated with suspected scams.

Deputy Elaine Millar, who is the island's Treasury Minister,  took to social media to warn against falling victim to the fraudsters:

There is a video on social media that allegedly shows me promoting a “government run investment platform” and encouraging people to invest. Please don’t!! It’s a scam. The video is AI generated and a complete fake.

— ElaineMillarJersey (@ElaineMillarJsy) January 23, 2026

 The Jersey Financial Services Commisson, which regulates the island's financial services industry, has issued a separate warning after receiving reports from people who have had messages or online 'friend requests' from  an account using the name Jersey Evening Post – Financial Advisor (Ivan Vykup).

The JFSC believes it is a fraud attempt and says there is no association with the Jersey Evening Post.

"We confirm that:

• the impersonator is not associated in any way with the Jersey Evening Post and, from documentation we hold, shows signs of being set up for fraudulent purposes
• the impersonator is not a registered company or registered business name in Jersey, and does not have a registered address in Jersey
• the impersonator is not registered with the JFSC to provide investment advice
• we are not aware of anyone named ‘Ivan Vykup’ employed by a registered person in Jersey as an investment employee

Anyone who has had dealings with this social media account is encouraged to contact the JFSC's Enforcement team.

Here is the official JFSC advice:

How to spot a scam
If you receive an unexpected message, friend request, email, text, call, or letter, look for signs that it  may be a scam. These can include, but are not limited to, the following:

• spelling mistakes and poor grammar
• pressure and urgency, demanding you to do something
• asking or telling you to click on a link
• unusual payment methods
• promises or offers that seem too good to be true
• requests for sensitive or personal information
• website addresses and social media accounts that contain small changes from genuine sites,  or contain extra punctuation

What to do if scammers contact you
Do not:

• reply
• click on any links
• open any attachments
• provide any sensitive or personal information
• send them any money

If you are not sure if a message is from a genuine company, we encourage you to contact the genuine company through their official phone number or email to verify if the message is legitimate.
For any business claiming to be registered or operating in Jersey, members of the public are able to verify:

• a company’s regulated status by visiting regulated entities — Jersey Financial Services Commission
• a company’s registration details by visiting registry — Jersey Financial Services Commission
• details of registered persons’ Senior Management and Investment Employees by visiting registered persons senior management and investment employees — Jersey Financial Services Commission

You can also contact our confidential whistleblowing line on +44 (0)1534 887557