Fake News

Do watch out for these scams, which the brokers refer to as 'campaigns' when you speak to them. They are actually pretending that advertising can include fake news in some way which is surprising. They seem to be adopting This Morning as their favourite fake TV scam and in particular like Akshay Philips as a guest.

Fake BBC News pages on Facebook are a prime vector for misinformation, click‑bait, and even outright scams. Here’s a methodical breakdown of what’s going on—and how you can spot and shut down these impostors:

1. Why They Exist

  • Traffic & Ad Revenue: Every click, like, or share can translate into ad dollars for the page operator—or worse, drive you to malicious sites.

  • Misinformation Campaigns: By mimicking a trusted brand, they lend false authority to political propaganda, health‑scare hoaxes, or sensational “news.”

  • Phishing & Scams: Some fake pages will post links that harvest your personal data or credential‑phish you with “survey” forms and download prompts.

2. Telltale Signs of a Fake News Page

Sign Real BBC News Fake BBC‑style Page
URL & Username facebook.com/bbcnews (blue‑tick verified) facebook.com/BBC‑News‑Deepminf or other odd strings; no blue checkmark
Verification Badge ✔️ Official “Blue Tick” next to the name ❌ No badge or a counterfeit “grey tick” emblem
Post Quality Well‑written headlines; consistent tone; links point to bbc.co.uk or bbc.com Typos, odd phrasing, sensationalist language; links to unknown domains
Engagement Patterns Steady, organic conversation Sudden spikes of likes and shares; generic comments (“Great article!”)
About & Contact Info Clear “About” section linking to BBC’s official sites Sparse or nonsensical “About” info; no legitimate contact details

3. The Risks of Interacting

  1. Spreading Falsehoods: Every share amplifies misinformation, making it harder for fact‑checkers to catch up.

  2. Malware & Phishing: Clicking through can trigger downloads of Trojans or land you on credential‑stealing forms.

  3. Privacy Erosion: Some pages harvest your profile info, friend lists, or use “quiz” scams to collect personal data.

4. How to Protect Yourself

  1. Always Check for the Blue Tick

    • Official BBC News page has the verified badge on Facebook and links to its own site.

  2. Hover (or Tap) on Links

    • Inspect URLs before clicking—hover over desktop links or long‑press on mobile to see where they really go.

  3. Cross‑Reference with bbc.com

    • If you see a scoop or “breaking” story, search for it on BBC’s own website. If it’s not there, treat it with extreme skepticism.

  4. Read the “About” Section

    • Real news outlets list clear editorial contacts; fakes often leave this blank or fill it with gibberish.

  5. Look at Engagement Quality

    • Genuine news posts spark thoughtful comments; a sea of emojis or one‑word replies can signal bot farms.

5. What You Can Do

  • Report the Page: On Facebook, click the “…” menu on the page header → Report Page → “Scam or Fake News.”

  • Warn Your Network: Share your findings in comments or with friends to stem the spread.

  • Use Browser Extensions: Tools like NewsGuard or Trusted News can flag dubious domains automatically.

  • Support Fact‑Checkers: Follow and amplify reputable fact‑check outfits (e.g. fullfact.org, factcheck.org) when they debunk these impostors.

In a landscape awash with half‑truths, your vigilance is the sharp edge of defense. By learning the patterns of these fake BBC‑style pages, you not only protect yourself but help inoculate your online community against the next wave of deception.

Fake BBC‑style Facebook pages often go to great lengths to mimic the real thing—but a close look at their appearance and embedded videos can betray the ruse. Here’s a methodical, step‑by‑step guide to spot the fakes:

1. Visual Inconsistencies in Page Appearance

  • Logo & Branding

    • Real BBC News uses a crisp, tightly spaced logo and strict brand colors (white on deep red). Fakes often stretch or distort the logo, use off‑shades of red, or place it awkwardly.

  • Layout & Typography

    • The BBC’s site and official Facebook page follow a very consistent template—clean margins, standard fonts (Reith Sans), and uniform line‑heights. Impostors frequently mix fonts, crowd the header, or leave odd gaps in the layout.

  • “Verified” Badge

    • The genuine BBC page carries Facebook’s blue checkmark. If there’s no checkmark, or you see a grey or homemade badge, that’s an immediate red flag.

  • About Section & Links

    • Official pages always link back to bbc.com or bbc.co.uk. Fake pages either omit these links or point to unrelated domains.

2. Embedded Videos—What to Look For

  • Player Source & Controls

    • An authentic BBC embed will use Facebook’s native video player or a direct iframe from bbc.co.uk. If the “video” is actually a YouTube embed (you see the YouTube logo) or a weird third‑party player, that’s suspicious.

  • Low‑Resolution Thumbnails

    • Scammers often grab a single frame from a real BBC broadcast and reuse it. When you hover or tap to preview, you’ll see pixelation or mismatched aspect ratios.

  • Missing Captions & Watermarks

    • BBC videos always carry closed‑caption tracks, the BBC logo watermark, and consistent title cards at the start/end. Fakes frequently strip captions (so there’s no “CC” icon) and slap on a fake intro image.

  • Inconsistent Metadata

    • Click through (even if it auto‑plays) and inspect the video URL or right‑click “Show video URL.” Real BBC embeds point to video.files.bbci.co.uk or bbc.co.uk domains. Anything else—YouTube, Vimeo, or unfamiliar CDNs—is a giveaway.

3. Quick Tests You Can Run

  1. Reverse‑Image Search the Thumbnail

    • Screenshot the video’s preview image and run it through Google Images or TinEye. If it pops up on the official BBC site with a different context or date, the Facebook page is mis‑using their content.

  2. Cross‑Check on BBC.co.uk

    • Search the exact headline or topic on bbc.co.uk. If the story doesn’t exist there—or if the video clip is nowhere to be found—you’re looking at a counterfeit.

  3. Inspect the “View Source”

    • On desktop, press Ctrl + U in the page and search for “bbc.” True BBC embeds will reference BBC domains in their <iframe> or <video> tags.

  4. Check Engagement Quality

    • Legitimate BBC posts spark diverse, substantive comments. A flood of “👍👍👍” or emojis, especially from brand‑new or blank accounts, signals bot amplification.

4. What To Do When You Spot a Fake

  • Don’t Share or Click

    • Every interaction boosts their algorithmic reach and invites more malicious content.

  • Report the Page

    • Click the “…” menu on the fake page → Report Page → “Scam or Fake News.”

  • Warn Your Network

    • Post a comment on the fake page pointing people to the real BBC News page (facebook.com/bbcnews) so they can compare.

By tuning your eye to these visual and technical cues—logo precision, player origins, caption presence, and metadata—you’ll cut through the veneer of legitimacy and unmask these impostors for what they are. Vigilance at this level keeps your feed, and your friends, protected from the next wave of misinformation.

Every fake page hides tell‑tale clues in the URLs it uses, and you don’t need to be a coder to spot them. Here’s a simple, non‑technical routine anyone can follow:

1. Hover (or Long‑Press) Any Link or Video

  • On Desktop: Move your mouse over a headline link or the video thumbnail. Look down at the bottom corner of your browser window—your browser will show you the destination URL (e.g. “https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/…” vs. “https://xyz‑scam.com/embed/video…”).

  • On Mobile: Tap and hold the link or video thumbnail. A menu pops up showing “Copy link address” or “Open in new tab.” The domain you see there is the real destination.

If you ever see anything other than “bbc.co.uk” or “bbc.com” as the first part of the address, treat the content as suspicious.

2. “Play” the Video in a New Tab

Right‑click (or tap‑and‑hold) on the video player itself and choose “Show video URL” or “Open video in new tab.”

  • In the new tab, look at the address bar: legitimate BBC embeds come from domains like video.files.bbci.co.uk or bbc.co.uk.

  • Anything pointing to YouTube, Vimeo, or a random CDN (content‑delivery network) is a red flag.

3. Check the Page’s Padlock/Info Icon

Every modern browser displays a padlock icon next to the page URL:

  • Click it to see which organization actually owns the certificate for that site.

  • If it doesn’t say “bbc.co.uk” or shows something unrelated, it isn’t genuine.

4. Use Your Browser’s “Inspect Link” Feature

Most browsers let you right‑click on a link and choose “Copy Link Address.”

  • Paste that link into your address bar (or even into your notes) and you’ll immediately see the full URL.

  • A quick glance at the domain—before you hit Enter!—lets you vet the link instantly.

5. Bookmark/Favorite the Real BBC Page

Finally, keep your own bookmark for facebook.com/bbcnews (the one with the blue checkmark).

  • When you see any other “BBC News”‑style page, compare the URLs side by side.

  • If they don’t match, you know you’ve landed on an impostor.

By turning your mouse pointer or tap‑and‑hold into a quick URL check, you’ll expose the fakes every time—no coding skills required.

The current list of celebrities that are being mis-associated with these boiler room scams can be found below, but if you hear of or see any more please let us know where from the contact page: