Martin Lewis slams 'disgraceful' adverts created by criminals using his name to scam people out of thousands

Martin Lewis has warned about “disgraceful” online adverts posted by criminals, after hearing how a woman’s husband lost thousands of pounds after seeing a fake promotion claiming to involve him.

Appearing on STV’s This Morning, Gill Casey told how her late husband Tim, a “clever guy”, had seen a clip purporting to involve Lewis and someone else, which gave the false appearance that it had been shown on the This Morning programme.

She said: “He was recommending crypto… and you contacted a number, a London number, and they got back to you… and it started from then… the brainwashing starts from then.”

Ms Casey said a man had contacted her husband and persuaded him to initially put a small amount in adding “once they get their hooks in, they just keep on and on and on, and this guy would phone perhaps three times a week. By this time, Tim was in his early 80s and he had the time, he was at home.”

She added: “He would phone for perhaps three times a week and he would talk for two hours and it was just brainwashing.”

Ms Casey told how around £90,000 had been put in by the time a request to withdraw the money was made and the scammers then claimed a tax bill needed to be paid.

“They wanted £30,000. We hadn’t got this £30,000,” she said.

Her husband borrowed some money and paid the supposed tax bill, but was then told that commission needed to be paid, she added.

“I said: ‘Look… this is crazy. This money is lost.’

“And his mouth dropped open and he looked at me and he said: ‘Has it really gone, this money?’

“And I said: ‘Yes, it’s gone, it’s gone, I’m sure it’s gone.’”

Speaking about the impact of the crime on her husband, Ms Casey said it “knocked him for six, it stole his dignity, it stole his self-confidence, his self-esteem, he went a lot quieter”.

Around 18 months ago, he did not seem that well, she said, and he was diagnosed with cancer.

“They gave him four months to live… and four months it was,” Ms Casey said.

Lewis, who also appeared on This Morning, told the STV show: “It’s just devastating. Gill has explained it perfectly and she’s given what is frankly a textbook example of how these criminals, these vicious criminals, steal people’s money, via what is brainwashing. It is absolutely typical.”

He added: “I will do my usual caveat. I do not do adverts, I do not recommend ‘make money’ products, I do not recommend crypto trading or investment schemes – if you see those adverts on social media, they are criminals.

“And the way they draw you in, with £250 as a usual amount and yes you see that ticker, you think you’re making more money, they persuade you to put more money in.”

The MoneySavingExpert.com founder added: “Think about it, let’s be blunt here: what legitimate company has the resources to have someone spend two hours with you three times a week? They don’t, they’re scammers, and they will persuade you to put more and more and more money in.”

Lewis continued: “If it seems too good to be true, do not do it.”

He added: “It is absolutely devastating. My career has been about trying to protect consumers, protect their pockets and fight for financial justice.

“And for these people to use my name to rip vulnerable people off and non-vulnerable people off is absolutely disgraceful. And they know what they’re doing.

“They have even used, and use, deepfake AIs of me talking about them and they’ve used those particular shots, they may even use this one as a deepfake AI to try and do a new advert about scams.”