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Prince Albert II of Monaco: Conmen use fake prince to extract money Prince Albert II of Monaco: Conmen use fake prince to extract money
(about 7 hours later)
Conmen have been impersonating top personalities in Monaco, including Prince Albert II, to obtain money from high-profile victims, reports say.Conmen have been impersonating top personalities in Monaco, including Prince Albert II, to obtain money from high-profile victims, reports say.
One well-known journalist was contacted via WhatsApp by the fake prince and asked for money to help free a local journalist allegedly kidnapped by an Islamist group, Monaco-Matin reports. The scammers are said to have used online messaging platforms including WhatsApp to contact their targets.
The Monaco government has issued a statement confirming the stings, but without naming the prince. The government issued a statement confirming the stings, but did not specify the prince was impersonated.
Police have launched an investigation. But a well-known French journalist told local media she was contacted by the fake prince in a video conversation.
In one instance, a fake Prince Albert II apparently in his office at the palace made video contact with one victim, Monaco-Matin says. Michèle Cotta told the Monaco-Matin newspaper that an individual resembling Prince Albert II made contact with her in September via WhatsApp asking for money to release a journalist kidnapped by an Islamist group.
In other instances, documents with official letterheads and signed by officials from the principality have been used; phone calls also seemed to come from official institutions, with the switchboard numbers appearing during the calls, the government said in a statement quoted by Ouest France newspaper. Several business leaders are also said to have been targeted by the "organised gang" over several weeks more recently, the newspaper reports.
The aim of those stings is for money transfers to be made to foreign bank accounts, notably in Asia, it added.
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"For several weeks, individuals who are part of organised groups, have been stealing the identities of high-ranking personalities in the principality and trying to establish personal contact with them... notably through electronic messages, SMS or video-conferencing via a WhatsApp type of application," the statement said. "In some instances, documents with official letterheads with signatures apparently signed by officials have been used to dupe victims, as well as calls that displayed the number of the switchboard of these organisations," the government said in a statement quoted by Ouest France newspaper.
It described the targets are "leaders of society or people with responsibility". The aim of those stings is for money transfers to be made to foreign bank accounts, notably in Asia, it added.
Albert has been ruler of Monaco since the death of his father, Prince Rainier, in 2005. His fortune is estimated at some €2bn (£1.8bn; $2.4bn). Monaco's government described the scam as "elaborate", targeting "leaders of society or people with responsibility".
Police in the principality have opened an investigation and urged people to remain cautious and sceptical to any attempted communication attempts.
Albert has ruled Monaco since the death of his father, Prince Rainier, in 2005. His mother was Hollywood star turned princess Grace Kelly.
His fortune is estimated at some €2bn (£1.8bn; $2.4bn).