Warren Buffett warns of impersonators and says he won’t endorse political candidates or investments
Buffett spoke at a 2016 rally in Omaha, showcasing his support for Hillary Clinton.
Warren Buffett warned of impersonators on social media duping people into believing the investing legend endorsed a candidate for president.
Berkshire Hathaway responded to the impersonation attempts with a warning posted on its website. The statement said Buffett would never endorse political candidates or investment products.
“In light of the increased usage of social media, there have been numerous fraudulent claims regarding Mr. Buffett’s endorsement of investment products as well as his endorsement and support of political candidates. Mr. Buffett does not currently and will not prospectively endorse investment products or endorse and support political candidates,” the statement read.
The billionaire investor said the impersonation attempts are concerning.
“I’m worried about people impersonating me and that’s why we put that on the Berkshire website,” Buffett said in an interview with CNBC. “Nobody should believe anybody saying I’m telling them how to invest or how to vote.”
Buffett’s message, in light of the attempts to impersonate him, makes the distinction that he does not “currently” endorse a candidate.
The billionaire investor has shown support for Democratic presidential candidates in the past, including former President Barack Obama and former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
For his part, Buffett said he doesn’t even know how to use Instagram.
“I don’t even know how to get on Instagram,” Buffett told CNBC in a Wednesday interview, adding, “Anything they see with my image or my voice, it just ain’t me.”
Buffett’s warning comes amid a close presidential race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, and as several high-profile investors and business leaders have jumped in to voice their preference.
Billionaires Bill Ackman and Elon Musk have pledged support for Trump, while Mark Cuban has shown outspoken support for Harris. Bill Gates, who has historically been quiet when it comes to politics, donated $50 million to a nonprofit that supports Harris’s candidacy, according to a Tuesday report from the New York Times.
