A video shared to Facebook purportedly shows an A Current Affair (ACA) report about an Australian 19-year-old who was able to buy her own home with earnings from an “investment platform”.
But the video has been manipulated. The original ACA segment was about how 19-year-old Madi Pickering was able to afford her first home after saving since she was 11.
The video had 57,000 views at the time of writing, and was shared by a Facebook page, which was created in October and has since run multiple ads using the same footage (see here and here).
The video begins with former ACA presenter Tracy Grimshaw saying: “Madi Pickering isn’t your average 19-year-old. She’s just bought her first home without help from anyone. Here’s how she did it.”
The video continues to use footage from the ACA segment, accompanied by a voiceover that says: “Madi has no experience in stock trading, neither she has a huge start up capital (sic), but only a college scholarship. Therefore, the algorithm allows everyone to use the platform in automatic mode and helps earning from minimal amounts. Every resident of Australia can access the platform by registering on the official website, after which you need to answer the call of a specialist who will help complete the registration.”
The caption accompanying the video says: “Start earning passively! Investment platform for beginners! Due to the latest sanctions in the world, this is your chance for stability in 10 minutes. Just register and find out more. Guaranteed result! Follow the link, fill out the form and you will have a constant monthly interest.”
The original 2020 ACA segment can be viewed in full on the show’s YouTube channel, and a write-up of the segment can be found on the 9Now website.
Ms Pickering told ACA she was able to buy her first home after saving since she was 11, getting a job at McDonald’s at age 14, working a full-time job after leaving school, and being eligible for a $15,000 first home owner’s grant and a $25,000 building incentive. After saving enough for a deposit, she was able to apply for a home loan to purchase a house and land package for around $300,000.
The Verdict
The claim that A Current Affair aired a segment about a 19-year-old Australian who bought a house with earnings from an investment scheme is false.
The video has been manipulated with an alternative voiceover and caption. The original ACA segment from 2020 detailed how 19-year-old Madi Pickering was able to purchase her own home through saving, working from a young age and being eligible for a first home owner’s grant and a building incentive.
False – The claim is inaccurate.
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