Beware these AI-generated scam ads falsely featuring Martin Lewis

Warning. The image shown blog below is an example of a fake, AI-generated image. These scam ads have no connection whatsoever to Martin Lewis, MoneySavingExpert or the BBC.

I've looked after the Fake Martin Lewis ads guide for a few years now, so I'm aware these types of scam have been around for a long time. But what's new is the pace and sophistication of these scams, which have increased dramatically in just a few months – clearly because scammers are now using artificial intelligence (AI).

I've seen a big jump in the number of 'deepfake' videos of Martin, many reported by MoneySavers, created by manipulating clips of him speaking. These can look convincing, though there are often warning signs, such as slightly unnatural speech, odd lip movements or messages that sound out of character. Some of these deepfakes even feature members of the wider MoneySavingExpert team in the background.

Yet there is one particular scam Martin ad, which MoneySavers are repeatedly telling us they're seeing online – with some losing money to it.

Watch out – this 'Martin Lewis' scam ad that I've seen reported widely

My tips for being on your guard against scams like this

Having studied scams for a while now – and very nearly falling for one myself not that long ago – here are some tips I think can help you to stay safe from scams:

⚠️ Always check the URL. Don’t trust a page just because it looks like a familiar news site. Get into the habit of checking the URL before clicking any link, as it can help establish if something is legitimate or dodgy. The scam discussed in this blog looks, on the face of it, like a genuine BBC news story, but just a brief glance at the URL shows it's not going to www.bbc.co.uk.

⚠️ Find independent sources to help with verification. Use search engines to see if there are other sources to back up what you're reading. For example, if you search for 'Martin Lewis, Question Time' on Google, none of the results returned suggest that Martin has appeared on Question Time recently (which he hasn't).

⚠️ Sounds too good to be true? It probably is. Please don't dismiss this as a cliché. Lots of recent scam Martin Lewis ads encourage you to invest a relatively small sum like £200 and in exchange you'll be guaranteed a regular monthly income of around £30,000. That really is the definition of too good to be true.

⚠️ Look out for vulnerable people. Based on the emails I see from MoneySavers, scammers often appear to target older people and those less familiar with online scams. So if you know people who could be more susceptible, especially if they follow Martin or MSE, take a moment to warn them about these scams and that Martin doesn't do adverts.

⚠️ Videos, images and comments can now be very convincingly faked. So while it might feel slightly dystopian, don't immediately assume something you watch or read is real – especially if you're encouraged to part with money.

⚠️ Don't let your emotions be played upon. In the scam discussed here, it's implied that a get-rich-quick scheme is deliberately being kept secret from you, a classic tactic of playing upon your emotions.

⚠️ Is there a sense of urgency? Another common ploy of scammers is to instil a sense of urgency, for example 'sign up before this deadline' or 'act now or miss out'. A couple of years ago, I almost fell for a 'Booking.com' scam myself which used this very urgency tactic to reel me in.

⚠️ Had a close brush with a scammer? You'll likely be targeted again. For example, if you've shared your contact details with a scammer before, it's likely you'll be a target again – you'll need to be extra careful in future.