Background
GPay Ltd operated an online cryptocurrency and trading platform marketed to UK consumers, largely through online and social media advertising.
The advertising used fabricated endorsements from well-known public figures, including a false association with the founder of MoneySavingExpert.com.
What investors were promised
Consumers were told they could achieve returns through a credible, apparently endorsed cryptocurrency trading platform.
How the scheme operated
Clients deposited funds into trading accounts on the platform. The Insolvency Service investigation found the company could not adequately account for how client money had been used.
What happened to investors
Clients were unable to recover deposited funds. Nearly £1.5m of client money was lost.
Insolvency and legal developments
GPay Ltd was wound up in the public interest in the High Court on 23 June 2020 following an Insolvency Service investigation.
What the case demonstrates
Fabricated celebrity endorsement remains one of the most effective techniques used in cryptoasset fraud, and appears repeatedly in matters shut down by the authorities.
Key Lesson
Endorsements in online advertising are frequently fabricated. Verification should come from the FCA Register, not from the advertisement.
Source & Further Information
GPay Ltd wound up in the public interest
The Insolvency Service (GOV.UK) — published June 2020
View the official source
