Comedian Charlie Berens warns of scammers pretending to be him on Facebook, Instagram
If a Facebook or Instagram account claiming to be Charlie Berens messages you out of the blue, odds are it's not actually the Wisconsin comedian. It's probably an imposter who may try to scam you.
"When it happens, you think: This person that I follow, I enjoy their content. Now they're privately messaging me," Berens explained to the Journal Sentinel in a recent phone interview. "You kind of allow the excitement to maybe take over a little bit."
"Before you know it," he said, the scammer tries to get gift cards or personal information out of you.
While this problem has popped up over the years, it's going on increasingly more often, Berens said. He's noticed that it's happening on Facebook and Instagram the most, especially with older adults who are newer to social media and often the target of scams. But, other platforms and people aren't immune.
When Berens' name is searched for on a social media site, his real account isn't the only one to pop up. While we were on the phone with Berens, he looked up his name on Instagram and found a handful of phonies on the spot.
"It's kind of a game of Whack-a-Mole," Berens said. "You can report an account and then it can get removed. But then someone else can just do the same thing. There's not really a great system to combat that stuff."
At one of Berens' comedy shows in California, a fan brought him a gift she said they had previously discussed and informed him that they had been messaging each other online for months, the comedian said. This was news to Berens. The person the woman had been talking to? Not him.
The imposter even went as far as to mail the woman a photo of Berens with a forged autograph on it, Berens said. Scammers often "do something that builds trust with people," he said, which can be "a dangerous game."
"As an entertainer or public figure in whatever case, you try to build a lot of trust with your audience," he said. "Then, you have these people eroding that trust just because they want to make a quick buck. It's sad."
"Be very suspicious of any interaction with anybody online. Period," Berens said, especially when it's with someone claiming to be a public figure without being verified.
If there isn't a blue checkmark next to Berens' username on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok — the checkmark indicates that the account has been verified by the platform — that's a red flag.
In case you ever need to double-check, Berens' real accounts on those platforms, as well as his Patreon — where he sometimes does giveaways — are:
Facebook: Charlie Berens, found at facebook.com/charlieberensTV.
Instagram: charlieberens, found at instagram.com/charlieberens.
TikTok: charlieberens, found at tiktok.com/@charlieberens.
Patreon: patreon.com/charlieberens
Berens noted that with X, formerly Twitter, people can get a blue checkmark by simply purchasing an active subscription to X Premium. While he doesn't do that, his main account on there is: @CharlieBerens.
Berens also has social media accounts for several of his ventures, including his comedic news report series, his podcast and his brandy. Official accounts for those, include:
"Manitowoc Minute": Facebook, Instagram and X.
"The Cripes Podcast": Facebook, Instagram and X.
Berens Old Fashioned Brandy: Facebook and Instagram.
If Berens ever uses social media to give away tickets or discuss a donation request, he or someone from his team will converse strictly through his official accounts. During those conversations, Berens or his team may provide an email address for further correspondence if necessary.
If someone thinks a Berens imposter is reaching out to them, the comedian's advice: "Don't reply" — just like you'd hang up if you got a robocall.
"The more time we can spend away from our phones, the better. And, I say that as somebody who obviously would benefit with people spending more time on their phones," Berens said. "It's very easy to get sucked in and lost in an algorithm. And, that can lead you to sort of think something is real when it's not. I think just enjoying life in the real world is kind of a thing we can all — myself included — try to do more of."
A USA TODAY report shared these tips from Chase to help people identity potential scams or fraud:
Demands for urgent action and sharing of personal information. Scammers will usually have a sense of urgency, and you may be threatened with losing money or access to your accounts or even arrest if you don't comply.
New, sudden relationships that take an interest in your money. Financial abuse often happens from a person known to the victim. It might be a caretaker or a newly found friendship. Be careful of any new friends who approach you with investment opportunities or take an interest in your finances.
Unusual financial activity. If you see withdrawals or changes to your accounts, or if you see your loved one suddenly making changes to financial accounts, contact the financial institution.
Wrong number. Some scammers will text or call someone, hoping you'll answer, saying it's the wrong number. Then they'll try to get friendly with you to get your defenses down.
Contact authorities and your financial institutions as soon as possible. Don't be ashamed about what happened and seek help.
The quicker a financial institution knows there is a problem, the better the chances are that some of the lost money might be recoverable. But liability for the fraud does vary for each case and often if the consumer has willingly transferred the money to a scammer, it could prove difficult to recover.
If you realize you're in the middle of being scammed, disengage from contact.
Berens, who grew up in Elm Grove and New Berlin, is a comedian, New York Times best-selling author and Emmy Award-winning journalist.
He's well-known for his hilarious videos about all things life in the Midwest. He also wrote "The Midwest Survival Guide: How We Talk, Love, Work, Drink and Eat ... Everything with Ranch," hosts "The Cripescast Podcast" and has several other endeavors, including Berens Old Fashioned Brandy.
In the "Green and Gold" movie, which played in theaters earlier this year, Berens portrayed a radio host on a Door County station.
In our recent interview, Berens shared that he recently filmed a standup special.
He has a slew of shows coming up in Wisconsin in September. And, in November, he'll be hitting the road for "The Lost & Found Tour." More information, including dates and locations can be found here.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Charlie Berens warns of Facebook, Instagram scammers impersonating him
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