HS: Fake ads on Meta misuse top Finnish investors’ identities

By admin On Jul 5, 2025

Photo: ICPonline

Fake investment ads featuring the names and images of well-known Finnish financial figures are spreading across Instagram and Facebook, according to recent findings. These scams are targeting Finnish users by collecting personal information such as full names and phone numbers.

The fraudulent adverts, written in Finnish, are not endorsed or approved by the individuals featured. Names and faces of several public figures in the Finnish investment community are being used without consent.

The identities of several well-known Finnish investors are being misused in scam advertisements. Photo: Screenshot from Instagram

Screenshots seen by Helsingin Sanomat show impostor ads using the identities of Aki Pyysing, Jukka Oksaharju, Jukka Lepikkö, Miikka Luukkonen of Nordnet’s Rahapodi podcast, and finance professor Vesa Puttonen.

Jukka Oksaharju, whose name and photo have been used in the fake promotions, described the situation as troubling. He said he has personally responded to over a hundred individuals who contacted him after seeing the ads.

“I’ve told a three-digit number of people who reached out that the ads are scams and urged them to report them,” Oksaharju said. “Some asked if the advertisements were genuine and were disappointed or felt deceived. Others recognised the content did not match the kind of communication I’ve done for years and informed me of the scam.”

Attempts to get the fake ads removed have largely failed. Despite being reported, Meta has not effectively curtailed their spread.

A significant number of fake profiles and pages have been created to run the ads. As of now, about ten separate Facebook pages using Oksaharju’s name exist, all used to purchase ad space.

Meta has not responded to requests for comment from Helsingin Sanomat.

Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi