Finnish news anchors launch campaign against social media scams using their images

Finnish public broadcaster Yle and commercial network MTV have joined forces in a campaign against fraudulent social media ads that misuse the faces of their news anchors to promote cryptocurrency scams and other investment schemes.

The campaign, featuring prominent anchors from both networks, demands that Meta—the owner of Facebook and Instagram—take responsibility for allowing deepfake and unauthorized use of their images in deceptive advertisements. Yle’s Piia Pasanen and Jussi-Pekka Rantanen, along with MTV’s Kirsi Alm-Siira and Jan Andersson, appear in a joint video warning the public that they do not endorse or sell any financial products.

“We have not given permission for our faces and names to be used,” Pasanen states in the campaign. The anchors emphasize that their role as journalists is to provide verified information, not to promote investments.

Scams using fake celebrity endorsements—particularly those impersonating trusted public figures—have cost individuals significant financial losses. Juha Tretjakov, a cybersecurity expert at Finland’s Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom), notes that criminals frequently exploit recognizable faces to lend credibility to fraudulent schemes.

“This has been going on for a long time,” Tretjakov says. “Public figures, media personalities, politicians—anyone well-known—are prime targets for scammers.”

Victims of such scams are advised to file a police report, as falling for these schemes constitutes criminal fraud. The campaign also urges affected individuals to contact their bank, report the content to the social media platform, and, if necessary, submit a complaint to Traficom. Screenshots of suspicious activity can be sent to Finland’s National Cyber Security Centre for further investigation.

MTV’s Jan Andersson underscores the breach of trust inherent in these scams: “It is simply wrong to be used to deceive people. Journalists like myself have spent our entire careers building trust—this undermines that work entirely.”

The campaign highlights the broader issue of social media platforms profiting from fraudulent content. While Meta has policies against misleading ads, enforcement remains inconsistent, allowing scammers to exploit gaps in moderation.

Finnish authorities continue to warn the public about the risks of investment scams, particularly those spread via social media. Support for victims is available through organizations such as the Victim Support Finland helpline.