The community has been put on alert over a series of fraudulent online posts and advertisements falsely using the image of Wayne Caines, a former government MP and president of Belco, to promote fake investment schemes.

A government spokesman said: “These misleading promotions appearing across various digital platforms, including social media, falsely suggest that Mr Caines is speaking on behalf of the Bermuda Government and endorsing financial offers that claim to guarantee significant returns.”

The scams seek to deceive users into providing personal or financial information.

The spokesman said all official information, updates and advisories were communicated only through the Government’s official Department of Communications.

He added: "We strongly urge the public not to engage with these fraudulent posts or click on any associated links.

“These scams are becoming more sophisticated and often use familiar faces to lend false credibility.”

Anyone encountering suspicious content claiming to represent the Government or its officials was urged to “avoid providing personal information or financial details to unverified sources and report it immediately to the platform on which it appears”.