Samantha Armytage is exploring legal options after complaints from angry Facebook users, who claim they were scammed by a fake Facebook ‘advert’ using her image without permission.
The 42-year-old has consulted with lawyers after her photo was used as part of a scam that allegedly saw dozens of fans conned out of hundreds of dollars.
In a tweet on Monday, she confirmed that the ads – which falsely claim the breakfast TV presenter is leaving Sunrise to launch a skincare line – are indeed fraudulent.
Samantha Armytage has consults with lawyers over a fake Facebook ‘advert’ claiming she is leaving Sunrise to launch a skincare line… as fans are allegedly scammed out of thousands
‘I am NOT promoting/selling a face cream on @facebook,’ she wrote on Twitter.
‘I’m also NOT leaving @sunrise, as seen on @facebook. We’ve had lawyers trying to remove these fake ads/news for months, to no avail. Please don’t believe them. And for God’s sake, don’t give them your bank details.’
The furious tweet was in response to recent complaints from Sunrise viewers, who claimed they were duped by fake ads on Facebook and subsequently lost money.
Speaking out: In a tweet on Monday, she confirmed that the ads – which falsely claim the breakfast TV presenter is leaving Sunrise to launch a skincare line – are indeed fraudulent
Here to stay! Sam clarified that she is not leaving Channel Seven’s breakfast program Sunrise. Pictured with her co-host David ‘Kochie’ Koch (right)
Several people have taken to Sunrises’s official Facebook page in recent months to share their frustration after falling victim to the illegal ads.
‘I have contacted Channel Seven three times [about] this… I was absolutely stupid enough to fall for this as it looked so real,’ one user complained in September.
‘I signed up, giving all of my Visa card information (something I have never done before). Yes, my account was emptied and I had to report this to my bank, which cancelled my card.’
Furious: Sam’s tweet was in response to recent complaints from Sunrise viewers, who claimed they were duped by fake ads on Facebook and subsequently lost money
Various complaints: Many Facebook users shared horror stories of falling victim to the scam, with one woman claiming she was robbed of at least $157
Confused: Fans flocked to Sunrise’s official Facebook page after noticing the suspicious ad
Dozens more users shared similar horror stories, including one woman who claimed she was scammed out of $157.
In a separate Facebook post, one woman said she was forced to cancel her bank card altogether after realising she had been duped.
‘I am ashamed to say I got sucked in once. Cancelled my card immediately the day after… No refund, but I did not expect one,’ she wrote.
Samantha is not the only celebrity whose image has been used without permission in scams
Others pointed out that Samantha is not the only celebrity whose image has been used without permission in similar scams.
Fraudulent adverts featuring ‘endorsements’ from the likes of Natalie Barr, Lisa Wilkinson and Jessica Rowe have also been circulating online in recent months.
In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, a Facebook spokesperson said the appropriate action has been taken and various scam ads have already been removed.
‘We do not allow adverts that are misleading or false on Facebook, and we’ve removed several adverts that violated our Advertising Policies,’ the statement read.
‘We encourage anyone who sees an advert that they believe infringes an individual’s rights to report it so the content can be reviewed and removed by our teams.
‘Recently, we’ve also made several improvements to combat misleading activity through a combination of technology and human review, including automation to detect scams and improved reporting abilities.’
Taking action: In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, a Facebook spokesperson said the appropriate action has been taken and various scam ads have already been removed. Pictured: Sam at the Melbourne Cup on November 6
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Seven for further comment.
It comes two years after Samantha slammed a weight loss company which used her image without permission to promote its products.
‘Obviously any ad on Facebook purporting to be me flogging diet pills is complete BS. I would never advertise the stopping of eating. As you were..,’ she wrote on Twitter at the time.
Not her first rodeo: It comes two years after Samantha slammed a weight loss company which used her image without permission to promote its products. Pictured with David Koch