Tennesseans are being put on notice as the state's Attorney General and Secretary of State have identified a surge in celebrity-related scams, aiming to cheat residents out of their money by exploiting the allure of stardom. In a deliberate effort to protect the public, Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and Secretary of State Tre Hargett are spearheading a campaign to bring these deceptive practices into the light, reminding everyone to be critical of solicitations using celebrity names or images.
The warning came in a call for vigilance, with Skrmetti stating, “It's reprehensible that scammers would exploit a celebrity’s name to deceive hardworking Tennesseans who want to help their neighbors. My office is glad to collaborate with the Secretary of State to expose these fraudulent schemes and ensure that those responsible are held accountable,” in a statement obtained by the Tennessee Attorney General's Office. In the same vein, Hargett added that the notable increase in fraudulent activity merits individual caution and proactive reporting, "Sadly, we’ve seen a significant rise in scammers attempting to utilize the name or likeness of celebrities to take advantage of consumers", he shared in a collaborative message with the Attorney General.
The techniques used by scammers are diverse and could involve sham charities that name-drop celebrities to elicit donations or fake endorsements for products that seem too good to be true. Consumers are advised to thoroughly research charities using tools such as Charity Navigator or by directly contacting groups through verified means. Additionally, when approached with a supposed celebrity-endorsed investment, potential investors are encouraged to look for red flags such as implausible low-risk claims or the celebrity's name attached to products without credible backing.
In the fight to prevent personal and financial information theft, the Division of Consumer Affairs highlights the importance of skepticism toward unsolicited celebrity impersonations online, which may prompt fast action or private data—reminders come with a sense of urgency as this kind of ruse can easily catch individuals off-guard. If an offer demands payments through less secure means, like wire transfers or cryptocurrency, or requests sensitive personal details, the advice is simple but imperative: steer clear, and report your suspicions to authorities like the Federal Trade Commission and the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office.
To those who might have experienced these types of scams, officials are urging reports to be made to both the Federal Trade Commission and the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office to ensure collective safeguarding against this underhanded exploitation of celebrity influence.
