He says it is the ‘worst compliment’ after beating Taylor Swift and Elon Musk
Martin Lewis, Taylor Swift, Elon Musk and Adele are among the celebrities whose profiles have been frequently misused in scam adverts, according to an analysis of Action Fraud data by MoneySavingExpert.com. The website examined how often public figures were mentioned in scams reported in 2022 and 2023.
The study revealed that high-profile individuals from various sectors, including entertainment, business, politics and royalty, have had their names exploited. The King, Jeremy Clarkson and Rishi Sunak were also featured in the list compiled by MoneySavingExpert.
MoneySavingExpert, founded by Mr Lewis, suggested that the data analysed is likely just the tip of the iceberg, as many victims do not report scams to the police. Action Fraud provided reported scams data based on a list of celebrities given by MoneySavingExpert.com.
To compile this list, the website asked its social media followers to name the celebrities they had seen in scam ads. Mr Lewis was at the top of the list in the analysis of the most mentioned public figures in reports to Action Fraud.
According to MoneySavingExpert, Action Fraud data shows that victims have reported losing over £20 million to scams using Mr Lewis’s profile in the last two years. The largest individual reported loss linked to a scam featuring Mr Lewis was a staggering £500,000, reports Wales Online.
Mr Lewis expressed: “It’s likely that the criminals pumping out these scam ads effectively use their own in-house dark-web digital marketing teams, researching which celebrities and advert types get the best click through rates, and honing the way they work to be able to attract more victims.”
“Almost certainly they will be collecting data on each public figure’s power to draw people in and how many people who respond to a celeb in an advert then go through to part with the money.”
Adding further, Mr Lewis said: “And if it’s an ad with me in, it’s always a scam, as I don’t do adverts. Topping this list is about the worst compliment I’ve ever had.”
He continued: “The new Government has pledged its commitment to ensure tech companies have a clear mandate, and a transparent fiscal incentive, to associate with banks in preventing scams, identifying fraudulent transactions and assisting victims. We’ll be scrutinising closely to see if it delivers.”
Cryptocurrency mentions, investment choices, retirement planning advice or promises to achieve wealth quickly are certain red flags to be cautious of in scam advertisements, warned MoneySavingExpert. Claims citing scandals involving public figures could also potentially turn out to be con games.
Web links related to supposed scandals may direct naive users to investment fraud schemes.
Moreover, ticket frauds are rampant, with fraudsters attempting to profit from the popularity of Swift’s Era tour. Individuals should ideally purchase from authentic ticket vendors or secondary market platforms and exercise caution while browsing social media, advised MoneySavingExpert.
Swift’s fans have reportedly lost an estimated £1 million since UK tickets for her tour went on sale last July, as per data published by Lloyds Bank earlier this year. If someone suspects they’ve been scammed, they’re advised to contact their bank and the police.
Numerous banks are participating in a scheme that allows individuals to dial 159 if they receive suspicious contact that could be a scam. Banks involved in the 159 scheme include Monzo, Bank of Scotland, Barclays, Co-operative Bank, First Direct, Halifax, HSBC, Lloyds Bank, Metro Bank, Nationwide Building Society, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander, Starling, Tide, TSB and Ulster Bank.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, scams can be reported to the police via Action Fraud. In Scotland, Police Scotland should be contacted.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) can also be contacted about an online scam, in addition to the bank and the police.
If payment was made by card, individuals could attempt to reclaim their money under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act (applicable for credit card purchases in some instances) or they could try to claim their money back via the chargeback scheme.
The research using Action Fraud data revealed the top 20 high-profile figures whose identities have been misused by scammers, with the percentage of total mentions in scams:.
1. Martin Lewis, 32.4%.
2. Taylor Swift, 21.7%.
3. Elon Musk, 13.9%.
4. Adele, 2.7%.
5. Holly Willoughby, 2.3%.
6. Jeremy Clarkson, 2.0%.
7. Mark Zuckerberg, 1.5%.
8. Johnny Depp, 1.1%.
9. Keanu Reeves, 1.1%.
10. Ed Sheeran, 1.1%.
11. Peter Jones, 0.9%.
12. King Charles, 0.9%.
13. Phillip Schofield, 0.9%.
14. Richard Branson, 0.8%.
15. Rishi Sunak, 0.8%.
16. Rod Stewart, 0.7%.
17. Simon Cowell, 0.6%.
18. Prince Harry, 0.6%.
19. Lewis Capaldi, 0.6%.
20. James Martin, 0.6%.
MoneySavingExpert explained that the research includes all mentions, even when more than one person is mentioned. They also noted that Action Fraud warned that some unrelated reports may have been included and some related reports may have been overlooked.
