Oprah Winfrey is being scammed on social media and she’s not taking it anymore.
In a video message posted to her Twitter and Instagram accounts on Thursday, Oprah said that “somebody out there is trying to scam” her fans by using her name and avatar on the popular social networks. The accounts are promising unsuspecting cash if they follow the Oprah Winfrey Network social accounts, Oprah said. However, they’re also seeking personal information that they could be using for other, not-so-savory purposes, as well as cash, Oprah told her fans.
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“It’s a fraud, it’s a fraud, it’s a fraud,” she said in the video. “Don’t believe it. Don’t give up any of your bank accounts or personal information to anybody posing as me, or anyone else for that matter. And, have a Merry Christmas.”
It’s unclear from the posting how many decoy accounts have been discovered, but it’s serious enough to have Oprah herself warn her fans. The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) also published a tweet warning fans of the problem. The network added that it’s “notified social media platforms who are working diligently to deactivate these accounts.”
Fraud alert! Pic.twitter.com/WACnDs04Bc
— Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) December 21, 2017
So, if you’re on Twitter and Instagram and think one of the most prominent celebrities in the world is after your personal information and cash, think again: it’s a scam.