Actor Davide Tucci warns against fake news adverts

Maltese-Italian actor and model Davide Tucci has posted a video to Facebook, alerting people to that fact that his name and image are being used in fake Facebook adverts, websites and articles to push Bitcoin-related scams.

Over the last couple of months, fake news adverts and websites began appearing on social media, with claims being made about unprecedented government investments or programmes, eventually leading the user to websites the claim to be promoting cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. 

On Monday a police report was filed by the government over several fake news websites mentioning the Prime Minister, ministers and the government in general. A statement from the Office of the Prime Minister was also released stating that: "The stories not only have fraudulent intentions but also try to cast a shadow by reporting untruthful facts."

"Please note I have nothing whatsoever to do with this, I have never engaged in such tradings, never did I authorise or approve of such material being published or advertised," Tucci said.  "This is clearly a scam and click-bait, please don’t buy into this."

The actor added that the allegations of bankruptcy were "particularly serious" and that he intended to report the case to the police's Cybercrime unit.

"I have worked really hard throughout the years to get to where I am now, and I won’t let my name and image to be used for any form of scam or dishonesty. Thank you to my neighbourhood watch, both friends and fans who have reported this matter to me both personally and on Facebook - it means a lot to have your support. If you see these ads, kindly screenshot and report to Facebook," he said.

Tucci started out in musical theatre with Spring Awakening and later started a career in modelling which earned him two consecutive awards at the Malta Fashion Awards in 2010 and 2011. The actor gained more popularity in Malta due to his TV roles as Clyde Montaldo in Katrina, and that of Alex Mamo on Ic-Caqqufa, both television series' on Maltese National Television. In 2018 Tucci featured in the Maltese TV Mini-Series Miraklu.