British TV star Martin Lewis is suing Facebook for defamation over ‘scam’ bitcoin adverts
British TV star Martin Lewis is suing Facebook after claiming that scammers are using his reputation to ensnare people in ‘get-rich-quick schemes’ through fake ads on the social network
By Jake Kanter
British television star Martin Lewis is suing Facebook for defamation after discovering more than 50 “scam” adverts bearing his name.
Lewis is perhaps Britain’s best-known consumer rights expert, dispensing guidance through popular ITV television show “The Martin Lewis Money Show” and his website MoneySavingExpert.com.
But he said scammers are using his reputation to ensnare people into bitcoin and Cloud Trader “get-rich-quick schemes” through fake adverts on Facebook. The ads are fronts for binary trading firms, which he said are a “financially dangerous, near-certain money-loser.”
The adverts pose as news stories on websites including the BBC and The Metro, but link off to the scam websites.
Lewis has repeatedly reported the fake adverts, but said they can take “days or weeks” to be pulled down by Facebook. Once removed, he said “scammers just launch a new, nearly identical campaign very soon afterwards.”
“I don’t do adverts. I’ve told Facebook that. Any ad with my picture or name in is without my permission. I’ve asked it not to publish them, or at least to check their legitimacy with me before publishing. This shouldn’t be difficult,” Lewis said in a blog on his website.