Martin Lewis scam adverts

Have you spotted a fake Martin Lewis advert? Please report it to us via email – including a screenshot or link in your message where possible. Thanks.

Fake Martin Lewis adverts are RIFE

To be clear, when we say Martin and MSE never endorse products, we mean we don't put our name to ANYTHING. Yes, we mention products/services, but we don't 'support' them.

Our aim is to relay facts. You, our users, remain our priority. For a full understanding of how we operate, see our Editorial Code.

If you want to know what Martin or MSE thinks about a subject, come to our website or sign up to our newsletter – all our information is thoroughly checked and verified and, most importantly, is unbiased – don't just take what these false advertisers say at face value.

Watch Martin talk about scam ads...

Here's a message from the man himself:

Where we've seen these Martin Lewis scams

So far, we've seen false ads online using Martin's name, face and reputation on:

The most convincing ads that'll lose you money...

In recent months there has been a deluge of AI-generated videos of 'Martin' encouraging viewers to invest in something called 'Quantum AI'.

Appearing on an almost daily basis, these videos vary slightly in appearance but the message is generally the same: invest just £200 and you'll be guaranteed a monthly income of at least £35,000. Don't fall for this ridiculous claim.

Unfortunately, lots of people have reported losing money to this scam. It's not surprising though, as AI is able to make very convincing videos of Martin. This particular scam has been spotted on the likes of YouTube, Facebook, Duolingo, gaming sites and mobile apps.

Look trusted and genuine? NO. These unscrupulous adverts are fake, promoting companies that will totally rip you off – DON'T touch them.

Fake Martin Lewis adverts to be aware of

The number of companies Martin's allegedly endorsing is growing all the time. Often, these firms disappear (with your money) only to pop up again with a different name and website, but with the same people and software behind them. Avoid these companies like the plague.

Below are just some of the many examples we've seen falsely using Martin's name...

- Cryptocurrency

We've seen various 'adverts' over the years where Martin encourages cryptocurrency investment, such as in Bitcoin. To be clear, cryptocurrency is neither Martin's bag nor MSE's. Martin only rarely discusses cryptocurrency, let alone promotes it. 

Worryingly, we've seen very convincing Twitter accounts impersonating Martin which encourage readers to invest in cryptocurrency – so watch out.

- Artificial intelligence

Terrifyingly convincing, computer-generated video of Martin are increasingly appearing online claiming that Martin encourages you to invest in 'Quantum AI'.

It's worrying how clever technology is becoming, so do beware of fake ads like this.

- 'Wealth loopholes'

Don't believe the advert claiming Martin has discovered a wealth loophole that could make you a millionaire within months – and people are 'rushing' to take advantage. This is fake.

- Binary trading and auto trading

We've come across adverts which use Martin's face to encourage readers to invest in binary trading (which is very high risk) and auto-trading. Watch out for fake adverts like these:

- Apps

Some fake Martin adverts encourage you to download an 'app' that will make you £1,000s.

The following example purports to come from The Mirror, but the URL goes elsewhere...

- Energy suppliers

The companies below may be genuine, but they falsely trade off Martin's name and we've had reports their work is shoddy and they rip off customers. We suggest you steer clear.

- Life insurance cover

- Claims firms (PPI, bank charges, car finance, etc)

Martin and MSE campaigned for years to help users reclaim mis-sold PPI.

Although the deadline to reclaim has passed, he would never have told you to pay for a PPI reclaim firm because you could Reclaim PPI for free. Yet some claims firms shamelessly use Martin's name and photo as an 'endorsement' – don't go near them.

Be wary of claims firms specialising in bank charges and car finance using this approach.

- Mortgage and insurance brokers

Again, although mortgage brokers don't scream "scam", these companies have all used Martin's image without his consent. Stay clear of them.

Beware of door-to-door and cold-call scammers

Martin's face isn't just used falsely online. Some cold-call companies and door-to-door salespeople pose as MoneySavingExpert and drop Martin's name into their sales pitch.

Once again, we NEVER cold call, whether it's on your doorstep or over the phone. See what happened when one of our news reporters called one of these fraudsters back.

These fraudsters can be convincing, so be on your guard:

If in doubt, remember that we NEVER cold call, be that over the phone or in person.

How we're fighting fake adverts

Whenever we see a fake advert, we ask the host – such as Facebook or Google – to take it down immediately. At the same time, we will contact the company in question.

While hosts have improved at taking scam adverts down, scams usually appear elsewhere shortly after (a bit like whack-a-mole). Here are some inroads we've made in recent years:

💪 Martin sued Facebook in 2018. This was a landmark campaigning defamation lawsuit after 1,000s of scam adverts appeared on the site abusing his name or image. He settled the lawsuit in 2019 after agreeing with Facebook on a major two-pronged action plan to fight the problem: that it would donate £3 million to set up a new anti-scams project and create a scam ads reporting tool supported by a dedicated team, unique to Facebook in the UK.

💪 Citizens Advice 'scams action' launched in 2019. This was a direct result of Martin's lawsuit. Citizens Advice Scams Action provides one-on-one help for consumers who are worried they’re being scammed and those who have already lost money. 

💪 Facebook launches new tool. This tool helps users flag scam ads and alerts a dedicated team of specialists to review and take down violating ads and investigate trends. 

💪 Inroads with other major tech companies. This includes Google and Verizon (which owns Yahoo). We report any ads we suspect to be shown by these companies.

Online Safety Act becomes law

More recently, in a massive campaigning victory – including for Martin Lewis and MSE – the long-awaited Online Safety Act became law in October 2023.

A watershed moment, this means online platforms now have a legal duty to prevent and take down scam advertising. Ofcom has been tasked with ensuring the law is rolled out. This, hopefully, will be a big step in tackling the scourge of online scams.

You can read more about the importance of the Online Safety Act.

Been scammed?

If you've been taken in by a scam advert, you're not the first and you're not alone.

Where you've lost money to one, try to stay calm. Then read our Help, I've been scammed! guide, which explains how to report a scam and what to do to get your money back.