[AUS] Mum signed up to an AI stock trading site,…
An investigation into an AI-driven stock trading scam using deepfake celebrity endorsements to lure investors into a fraudulent platform
- Incident date
- Jul 2026
- Target
- Jacquie Lambie
In July 2026, reports emerged of a sophisticated investment scam targeting Australian residents through a fraudulent website, area.vellionpro500.com. The scheme utilized deceptive advertising and AI-generated content to create a false sense of legitimacy, ultimately tricking users into depositing funds under the guise of high-yield AI stock trading.
What happened
The operation began with a deceptive advertisement featuring a deepfake or fabricated scenario involving Australian politician Jacquie Lambie, falsely claiming she had been arrested. This hook served to drive traffic to the vellionpro500 platform, which presented a professional-looking dashboard to users. Once on the site, victims were assigned an "account manager" named Simon, who communicated exclusively via Telegram to build personal rapport and trust.
Victims were shown fictitious "earnings" on their dashboards—some reporting up to five times their initial deposit—to encourage further investment. In reality, no actual trading occurred; the displayed figures were merely manipulated numbers designed to simulate profit. To further solidify the deception, the scammers utilized an AI-generated review account on YouTube to provide counterfeit testimonials matching the platform's "Bronze to VIP" membership tiers.
Technical analysis of the domain revealed significant red flags: the site was registered in January 2026 for a one-year term, masked its physical server location through a DNS proxy, and lacked any licensing from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). The scammers employed classic social engineering tactics, such as asking victims for professional advice to foster a sense of mutual trust. Security experts warn that such platforms typically allow small, initial withdrawals to build false confidence before eventually blocking larger withdrawal attempts by demanding fake fees or taxes. The incident highlights the growing prevalence of AI-facilitated financial fraud and the importance of verifying brokers through official regulatory channels.