Warning: Fake Martin Lewis Bitcoin scam emails

Fraudulent ads using Martin's name or image to advertise products and schemes, such as Bitcoin, are unfortunately nothing new. Facebook even agreed to launch a scam ad reporting tool on its site and app to combat fake ads, as a result of a campaigning defamation lawsuit by Martin.

But we've seen increased reports of scam emails using Martin's name and image to push Bitcoin schemes over the past few months. In one 24-hour period in August, we had 28 people tell us they'd received the emails.

As we've seen so many reports in such a short space of time, we wanted to warn against these emails and make it clear they are nothing to do with Martin or MSE.

See the Fake Martin Lewis ads guide for more on what to watch out for.

What do the fake emails look like?

The scam emails tend to use a picture of Martin along with a claim that he "lends a hand to British families" with a Bitcoin scheme, promising profits of £450 per day, as seen below.

In the emails we've seen, the sender appears as 'Martin Lewis OBE' – but when you look more closely, the emails are actually being sent from a variety of domains, none of them associated with Martin or MSE.

We've been unable to trace any firm called Bitcoin Future, so have been unable to ask if it is aware of these emails.

I've received one of these emails - what should I do?

If you receive one of these emails, don't click on it - it's a fake. Instead, report it to us at fakead@moneysavingexpert.com, then delete it.

If you've been taken in by one of the many false ads out there, you're not the first and you are not alone. See what to do if you've been scammed for full help, including how to get assistance from the dedicated Citizens Advice Scams Action service.

At the moment, it's very difficult to work out who is sending these emails and how they are doing it, so unlike online adverts – where we can complain directly to the advertising platform – it's hard to stop them reaching your inbox.

MoneySavingExpert is doing its best to get to the bottom of it, and to find some way of stopping these scammers operating by email.

For full info on spotting the ads and keeping yourself safe, see our Fake Martin Lewis ads guide. If you spot a fake ad featuring Martin, report it to us at fakead@moneysavingexpert.com.