Martin Lewis, founder of Money Saving Expert, has issued a plea to his followers after a wave of scam adverts falsely claimed he had been arrested or had died. The ads, circulating mainly on the social media platform X, also feature AI-generated videos of Lewis in fights with public figures such as Andy Burnham and Nigel Farage. Some of the fake adverts mimic trusted news websites, including the BBC.
Lewis: 'None have ever happened'
In a post on his Twitter account, Lewis said: "You may have seen the news that I’ve been arrested! (Or beaten up, in a fight with Andy Burnham, Nigel Farage or the Bank of England boss, or even that I’ve died)." He added: "Thankfully, as far as I’m aware, none have ever happened. These are criminal scammers’ fake ads. They’re rife on social media right now. They’re trying to get you to click to fake sites."
Lewis stressed that he does not endorse any products or adverts, saying: "I don’t do any ads, never mind for Quantum AI, Bitcoin Trader, Bitcoin Code, or 'stuff the establishment don’t want you to know'. Please be vigilant."
Scam ads and celebrity targets
In 2024, Lewis highlighted that the top 20 most popular celebrities used in scam ads include Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Jeremy Clarkson, Johnny Depp and Keanu Reeves. Speaking on his podcast at the time, he compared scams to organised crime, noting that scammers use "suspicious devious psychologically adept forms of marketing" to target vulnerable people.
Lewis also warned that his own image is frequently used without permission, stating: "One in three scams involve me. I never wanted to get into being a campaigner on scams. My whole thing is about showing people how to save money not preventing them losing money, but when you’re in a third of the adverts out there, the worst bloody compliment I’ve ever received, you have to start campaigning on it."
Legal action and ongoing vigilance
Lewis noted that he successfully sued Facebook for £3 million over the use of his image in scam ads, but described online advertising as "still a wild west." He urged the public to remain alert and report any suspicious adverts using his name or likeness.
