Romania Faces Wave of Disinformation and Scam Companies Online

In recent months, Romania has been swept by a wave of disinformation and a surge in fake online companies. Social platforms, unregulated websites, and opportunistic political or economic actors are spreading fake news, deepfakes, and financial scams. At Știrinoi.com, we highlight key trends, their impact on citizens, and solutions Romania can adopt to counteract this toxic digital environment.

1. Scope and Context

A PRO TV/EU poll found that roughly 70% of Romanians cannot reliably identify false news online, translating to an estimated €60 billion in economic losses across the EU annually—driven by manipulation, panic, and poor decisions .

2. Election-related Disinformation Campaigns

Ahead of presidential elections, various false narratives emerged: politicized vaccine claims, border closures rumors, and fake military recruitment documents targeting diaspora Romanians . A striking example was a fake 'Euronews' video accusing France of meddling in Romania’s vote—debunked swiftly by fact-checkers .

3. Deepfakes & Fraudulent Investment Websites

Bitdefender warned of campaigns combining deepfake videos and counterfeit websites mimicking reputable outlets (like Digi24)—redirecting victims to bogus investment schemes such as “Neptun Deep” promising unrealistic returns .

4. Fake Profiles and Bot Networks

Platform analysts like Cyabra found that up to 16% of profiles spreading extremist or nationalist content were fake or bots, artificially inflating public support for certain figures by seeding manipulated narratives 

5. Foreign Influence & Political-Economic Interests

Financial Times and Euronews reported that Russian-affiliated advertising firms (e.g. AdNow) were spreading anti-vaccine, anti-EU content to prime Romanian audiences—spending millions to influence TikTok and other platforms .

Interesting Facts

• 70% of Romanians don’t know how to verify fake news 

• Fake recruitment documents were sent to diaspora, prompting warnings by MApN 

• Deepfakes showing Simion and Dan used to promote scams 

• 16% of extremist accounts found to be bots/fake 

• TikTok under investigation by EU under Digital Services Act for election interference 

Expert Opinions

• Victor Negrescu (MEP): “The disinformation phenomenon is a clear challenge: lack of media literacy allows rapid manipulation” .

• Bitdefender: “Deepfakes and fake sites work in concert to trap vulnerable users” .

• Cyabra: “Fake profiles inflated the visibility of nationalist messages, twisting public debate” .

• EU / MEP Regina Doherty: Platforms must uphold the Digital Services Act to prevent election disinformation .

Conclusion

Romania is currently facing a pronounced wave of disinformation and fake online firms, especially around electoral periods. The social, economic, and political fallout is undeniable: financial losses, diminished trust in institutions, and rising polarization.