Fake Shell ads target Canadians on Facebook

Facebook posts advertising investment opportunities for Canadians through Shell are not legitimate. Many contain manipulated media, and the British energy company told AFP it is not behind the purported offers.

"Together with the company Shell, we have created an investment project that will help to solve housing issues and ensure a secure future for every Canadian," Jagmeet Singh, the leader of Canada's New Democratic Party (archived here), appears to say in an August 23, 2024 Facebook video.

The clip, which accumulated more than 44,000 views, promotes a supposed program from Shell by invoking the high cost of living -- a legitimate issue in Canada.

The page that shared the video, Can Global, resembles the Canadian media outlet Global News -- but it was created the same day the video was posted.

Singh's lips also do not appear to sync up with some of the audio.

A reverse image search reveals the clip matches a September 2023 conference in which the party leader discussed foreign interference allegations in Canada's elections (archived here).

Some parts of the Facebook video are spliced, while others appear to be deepfakes fabricating speech that Singh did not utter at the conference.

AFP has previously fact-checked Facebook ads falsely offering financial payouts to Canadians, including promotions posing as programs from Imperial Oil. The Shell ads are similar, using manipulated content.

Shell not behind ads

The manipulated video of Singh appears in Meta's Ad Library, a repository of promotions on the company's social media platforms.

Using the database, AFP found at least 15 more ads targeting Canadians with supposed offers from Shell.

However, Shell told AFP in an August 30, 2024 email that it is not promoting any passive income opportunities on Facebook or Instagram.

"Recently, we were made aware of ads circulating on social media that appear to be from Shell and can confirm that they are a scam and not affiliated with Shell in any way," a spokesman said.

Sites ask for personal information

Most ads appeared within a few days of their corresponding pages' creation, indicating the content may not be authentic.

Many pages use images or titles alluding to Shell or news outlets such as Global News and CTV. The videos begin with different clips and then progress to similar screenshots of pages where users can supposedly sign up for the Shell platform.

At least one ad includes another apparent deepfake of a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) broadcast.

Other pages use people's names while sharing influencer-style posts with the same promotion.

Along with the high cost of living, some promotions appeal to Canadians by mentioning issues such as wildfire damage, claiming the fake passive income scheme can alleviate the resulting financial pressure.

Many ads share websites mimicking those of news organizations such as CBC. Attempting to "register" on these pages prompts a request for personal information.

Canada has seen an increase in fraudulent investment scams over the past year, according to credit monitoring firm TransUnion.