Migrant smugglers use Facebook to promote Turkey-Italy trips bypassing sealed Balkan route — RT News

In an apparent effort to save their business following the EU-Turkey deal to deport illegal migrants from Greek islands, smugglers have launched a Facebook ad campaign offering refugees trips via Italy instead of the previously popular Balkan route.

According to the Guardian, a number of replies to the post raised a red flag about the ad being a potential scam, reminding people that similar advertisements dating back to 2014 were used to lure people in without ever delivering on their promise to get them into the EU.

The publication reached out to the owner of the ad who said that this had been the first time in month he had arranged this sort of trip. He refused to disclose the entry point in Italy. Facebook told Reuters on Friday that the company is the process of investigating the report and looking into the origins of the ad.