Wed Sep 25 08:20:06 UTC 2024: ## Fake News Ads Featuring Dara Ó Briain and Pat Kenny Exposed

**Dublin, Ireland -** A wave of fake news ads targeting prominent Irish personalities, including comedian Dara Ó Briain and broadcaster Pat Kenny, has been circulating on Facebook. The ads, designed to appear as legitimate news articles from the Irish Independent, falsely claim that both celebrities are involved in scandals.

These ads lead to a website disguised as the Independent’s site, but containing deceptive content promoting cryptocurrency trading platforms. The Journal’s investigation confirmed that the articles featured in these ads are entirely fabricated, and no such stories were ever published by the Irish Independent.

The fake ads utilize a familiar tactic, employing doctored headlines and imagery of the celebrities superimposed with text claiming career-ending scandals. The Irish Independent has confirmed that these stories are entirely false.

Ó Briain himself acknowledged the scam on X (formerly Twitter), pointing out the absurdity of the fabricated story and warning users to avoid any financial advice presented within the ads.

This is not the first instance of fake news ads targeting Irish celebrities being used to promote cryptocurrency schemes. Previous scams have involved prominent figures like Michael O’Leary, politicians, and well-known television presenters.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has stated that such celebrity crypto scams are a well-known tactic, often promising high returns on investments to lure unsuspecting individuals.

The Journal’s FactCheck team has debunked these misleading ads, urging the public to be vigilant and avoid falling prey to such deceptive schemes.

**The Journal is committed to delivering accurate and unbiased news. Support our work by contributing today.**

**[Link to donate]**

**Please share this article to help others avoid falling victim to these scams.**

Read More