An 86-year-old Ontario woman says a fake cryptocurrency platform used an AI-generated video of Prime Minister Mark Carney to pull her into a scam that eventually cost her nearly $900,000.
Judy Skene, a retired pharmacist from Sault Ste. Marie, first saw the ad on Facebook in July 2025, according to SooToday.
The video appeared to show Carney urging people to invest $350 in a cryptocurrency opportunity, but Carney was not promoting the platform and the investment was bogus.
Over several months, scammers convinced Skene to cash in a Registered Retirement Income Fund for $650,000, place a $300,000 mortgage on her Bay Street condominium, and take a $35,000 cash advance on her credit card, SooToday reported.
The Scam Started With A $350 Facebook Ad
Skene told CTV that the ad appeared to show Carney promoting a $350 Canadian investment opportunity. After she clicked the link and signed up, someone claiming to represent the platform contacted her and said her money had already tripled.
SooToday reported that the scammers promised Skene $40,000 a month in dividends if she kept investing, while an online account made it look as if the money was growing. She later told the outlet that once the funds were gone, “it was like the world ended” for her.
The Fake Account Made The Money Look Real
Skene’s longtime friend Pat Probert told SooToday that scammers sent her a link to log into the platform and said that once she did, they gained access to her computer and found her investments. He said they then convinced her to cash out her RRIF, term deposits, cash, and other assets.
Probert said the scammers also told Skene not to tell anyone, warning her that other people would be angry because she was making so much money. A local CIBC branch told Skene she was being scammed, but Probert said she remained convinced the platform was legitimate.
The Damage Reached Her Benefits And Daily Life
By the time Probert learned what had happened in March, he said Skene had been left with about $200. Her mortgage, condo fees, and credit-card payments bounced, and she lost her car.
SooToday reported that because Skene was persuaded to cash in her RRIF, she lost entitlement to Old Age Security payments and access to the Canadian Dental Care Plan. Her only income became a monthly Canada Pension Plan payment of $1,150, while her expenses were about $2,300 a month.
Probert later contacted Skene’s financial institutions and the Sault Police Service for help. At the time of SooToday’s report, he said the banks and police were still investigating, and he had set up a GoFundMe to help her buy a used car and cover basic needs.
Canadian Officials Say AI Investment Scams Are Growing
Canadian securities regulators warned in 2025 that scammers are using artificial intelligence, social media ads, fake profiles, and images of celebrities or political figures to make fraudulent investment opportunities look legitimate. The Canadian Securities Administrators specifically urged people to avoid online investment opportunities that appear to be endorsed by celebrities or political figures, especially when they promise easy or quick returns.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre said Canadians reported more than $704 million in fraud losses in 2025 and more than $2.4 billion in reported losses since 2022. The agency also warned that those figures represent only a fraction of the real harm because only a small share of frauds are reported.
The First Click Is The Trap
A real prime minister, central bank, celebrity, bank analyst, or news anchor will not guarantee a private crypto platform through a Facebook ad. Before investing, Canadians can check whether a person or firm is registered with their provincial or territorial securities regulator, and they should not rely on a link inside an ad, a message from a supposed advisor, or a website that appeared after clicking a social-media post.
Skene said she wants others to be careful about what they see on Facebook. Her case shows how a fake $350 opportunity can become a months-long fraud that drains savings, retirement funds, credit, and home equity.