Journalists' association calls for probe into identity theft scam using reporter's name

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) has condemned the fraudulent use of journalist Jelena Zorić's identity and the name, logo, and credibility of the BIRN media outlet to promote a fake investment scheme. NUNS stated that sponsored online advertisements directed citizens to a manipulated webpage designed to mimic BIRN's site.

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We were confused until a neighbor took screenshots of these ads when they popped up and sent them to my family. Clearly, the algorithm recognized a suitable profile of 50+.

According to BIRN Serbia, these ads promoted a non-existent investment fund, aiming to trick citizens into providing personal data and investing money. The scam involved a fabricated statement attributed to Jelena Zorić and a non-existent photograph created using artificial intelligence. Zorić reported that her family members were contacted by elderly citizens seeking help with supposed state-provided profits, leading to confusion until screenshots of the ads revealed the deception.

BIRN has gathered available data on the fraudulent website, reported the ads to platforms, and prepared a report for the Republic Public Prosecutor's Office for High-Tech Crime. Zorić noted that the ads are still active, prompting BIRN to issue a warning to the public. NUNS considers this a dangerous form of digital identity abuse that undermines public trust in professional media and poses financial and security risks to internet users.

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The ads are, unfortunately, still present. That's why we also issued a warning to citizens not to fall for this type of scam.

The association emphasized that using a journalist's name and reputation for fraud is a serious attack on journalistic integrity and highlights the growing threat of AI-generated fake content. NUNS urged relevant institutions to act swiftly to identify those behind the scam and prevent further misuse of identities. They also called on internet platforms to remove the fraudulent ads and improve content moderation, especially when journalists, media outlets, and public figures are impersonated. NUNS appealed to citizens to exercise caution and avoid sharing personal or financial information on unverified websites.

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Such scams contribute to the spread of disinformation, undermine public trust in the media, and create space for manipulation where citizens can hardly distinguish credible media content from fake pages and ads.