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Fake News: Bitcoin Scams and Cryptocurrency Get-Rich-Quick Schemes

Consumer Champion,


Earlier this year on BBC Rip Off Britain I reported on how Martin ‘Money Saving Expert’ Lewis had found himself the unwitting face of adverts for bitcoin and cryptocurrency get-rich-quick schemes.

Understandably angry, Martin embarked upon a public campaign - and legal proceedings against Facebook - to make it clear that he in no way endorses any of these schemes.

Then, last week, I began receiving messages asking about a bitcoin scheme that I was apparently supporting. A quick web search and scan of social media revealed that it was my turn to be the face of dodgy cryptocurrency money-making schemes:

This advert is fake - I do not endorse any cryptocurrency trading platforms.
This advert is fake - I do not endorse any cryptocurrency trading platforms
To be absolutely clear: these adverts are fake. In no way do I endorse any bitcoin or cryptocurrency money-making schemes. And as for me making 'millions of pounds every month'? I’m still working on it.
Screenshot of the BitCoin web page.

The photos are genuine, though not the captions. The irony is that the scammers now using my face in those fake ads had the cheek to come to my website to steal the images.

There’s also an entire website now dedicated to my endorsement of the so-called trading platform. It goes so far as to provide a fabricated transcript of a conversation between me and Susanna in which I explain how the scheme works.

When I perform a web search on some phrases on the site, I find it’s identical to another site on the web in which Martin Lewis is the proponent.

It’s desperately frustrating that my face may now be helping to rip people off, and that there’s little I can do to stop it from happening.

However, what I can do is to help spread the word that these adverts should not be taken at face value. Also, steer well clear of any get-rich-quick schemes like these - whoever appears to be endorsing it. And be very cautious of any screenshot of a new story - they’re very easy to fake.

Recently, I shared some tips on how to spot fake adverts.

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