Warning over fake subscription scams impersonating Martin Lewis, Russell Brand and more
msn.comfrauds' - and are often lured in by celebrity endorsements that later turn out to be fake. Around 300,000 people every year sign up to these frauds, which often pretend to be advertised by celebs like comedian Russell Brand, survivalist Bear Grylls and Dame Esther Rantzen.
Subscription frauds advertise products or services online, using famous faces to gain consumers' trust - but the celebs have But the famous faces backing the products are often unaware they are being impersonated, according to the BBC Radio 4 programme File on 4. Many of the frauds rely on Facebook adverts to target their victims.
File on 4 found more than 800 on the social network. Facebook told the BBC it has removed almost all of the offending adverts, which break its rules.
The scams often also impersonate genuine news websites like MailOnline - and even The Mirror. One woman, Louisa Dyson, 40, from Doncaster, was taken in by a fake MailOnline article with 'Russell Brand' advertising CBD gummies for pain relief.
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