Recent bitcoin fraud has led to Serbian Deputy Prime Minister, Zorana Mihajlovic, Ph.D., become known abroad as a person allegedly engaged in cryptocurrency trading. Mihajlovic gained this false public image due to the activities of the Instagram profile of Melissa_Brodbeck02. This account offers brokerage services in Bitcoin trading using Mihajlovic’s likeness.
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister photos are misused for the fake identity of “Melissa Brodbeck”
Notably, if you search “Melissa Brodbeck” on social networks, you will find a businesswoman and entrepreneur who trades in bitcoins, but who looks exactly the same as the Serbian minister.
This fake profile looks to draw people into business cooperation. A considerable number of people who believed that “Melissa” really exists gave their money in the hope that they would make a serious profit.
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“Melisa” used the images from Minister Mihajlovic’s official Instagram account to present the minister’s official meetings as her own business activities. The official state functions became private meetings about investing in bitcoins.
Serbian government warns about this bitcoin fraud
Not only Mihajlovic’s likeness and photos have become a lure attracting investors in bitcoins. The person behind the profile has also made a claim that she really is Zorana Mihajlovic.
When a potential client said that he would rather cooperate with Mihajlovic, the person who stole her identity answered briefly and clearly: “That’s me.”
The fraudulent profile was discovered on September the 17th when it appeared on Instagram. The Ministry of Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure announced on their website a warning to the public that it was a fake profile:
“In order to prevent possible abuses and deception of the public, we warn that a new false profile is opened on Instagram and other social networks of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Serbia, Zorana Mihajlovic, Ph.D.” it is stated in the announcement of the ministry, which was also shared on the official Instagram profile of Zorana Mihajlovic.
At the time of writing it is not known how many people and for what amounts were swindled in this Bitcoin fraud.
