MrBeast, Martin Lewis and Fake Celebrity Crypto Ads: How to Report Them and Get Your Money Back in the UK

If you've seen MrBeast, Martin Lewis or a politician promoting a crypto platform in a social media ad, assume it's fake. Investment scams cost UK victims a record £221.5 million in 2025, and UK Finance says they're being driven by fraudulent adverts and social media posts. If you've already paid by bank transfer, call your bank today. You may be entitled to a refund of up to £85,000.

Crypto itself isn't a scam. A famous face selling guaranteed returns in a sponsored post almost always is. Our earlier piece covered how AI deepfake scams work more broadly; this one is about the celebrity ads specifically, and what to do next.

How big is the celebrity crypto ad problem in the UK?

Big, and growing. UK Finance's Annual Fraud Report 2026 recorded £221.5 million lost to investment scams in 2025, up 40% on 2024, across 14,893 cases. Investment scams made up 38% of all authorised push payment (APP) scam losses, and UK Finance says they're driven by fraudulent adverts and social media posts offering big returns.

The same report says 66% of APP fraud starts online. Which? looked at 203 investment scam reports it received in 2025 and found 48% of people had met the scam online or on social media. Those victims lost £11,865 on average, and Facebook was the platform named most often.

The faces change, but the cast is familiar. Which? listed Martin Lewis, Keir Starmer, Piers Morgan, Elon Musk, Nigel Farage and Richard Branson among the most-faked names. None of them endorse these schemes. The ads are fakes, often AI-generated video or doctored screenshots, bought as paid placements.

How do fake MrBeast and celebrity crypto ads work?

Most follow the same script. A paid ad or fake news article shows a celebrity apparently backing a crypto platform. You leave your phone number, a friendly broker calls, shows you small early profits, and asks you to install remote-access software and send more. Withdrawals never quite work. That's the funnel Which? documented step by step.

Two details matter. Scammers often dress pages up as BBC articles; Which? reported one victim losing over £162,000 after a fake BBC story. And victims are usually told to open an account at a genuine exchange, buy crypto, then send it on. That step matters for refunds, as we'll see.

MrBeast's name turns up in a slightly different version. In July 2026, Cyber Daily reported a wave of hijacked Discord accounts sending friends screenshots of a fake MrBeast cryptocurrency casino, promising a $4,600 sign-up bonus. The aim, according to security firm Bitdefender, was likely to steal crypto wallets. It worked because the message came from a friend.

Photo via Unsplash

How can you tell if a celebrity crypto ad is a scam?

Assume any ad showing a celebrity promoting a crypto platform is fake until proven otherwise. Genuine UK investment firms have to be authorised or registered with the FCA, they don't promise guaranteed returns, and they never need remote access to your device. If any of the points below apply, stop.

Red flag	What it usually means
A famous person says they made a fortune on this platform	Deepfake or doctored image
Ad leads to a news-style article, not the firm's own site	Fake news page built to sell the scheme
Returns are guaranteed or quoted daily	No legitimate investment can promise this
A broker calls you soon after you leave your number	Lead-generation for a boiler room
You're asked to install AnyDesk or TeamViewer	They want control of your accounts
You must pay a fee or tax before you can withdraw	Your money is already gone; they want more
A friend sends a bonus offer out of the blue on Discord or WhatsApp	Their account may be hijacked

Before sending anything, check the firm on the FCA Register and Warning List. It takes two minutes.

How do you report a scam crypto ad in the UK?

Report the ad itself to the Advertising Standards Authority and to the platform, then report any loss to the police service Report Fraud. The ASA's Scam Ad Alert system passes obvious scams to the big platforms and ad networks so they can take them down. In 2025 it received 2,589 reports and sent 169 alerts.

To report well:

1. Screenshot the ad and copy the link to where you saw it and the site it leads to. The ASA asks for both.
2. Report it on the platform using the ad's own menu, then file it with the ASA's online Scam Ad Alert form.
3. If you lost money, contact your bank first, then report to Report Fraud (which replaced Action Fraud) at reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040 if you're in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.

Platforms are also facing new legal duties, slowly. Ofcom published draft fraudulent advertising codes under the Online Safety Act in July 2026, covering paid-for ads on the largest services (Category 1 and Category 2A). Its nearly 40 measures include checking that investment advertisers are FCA-authorised. The consultation closed on 2 October 2026, and the codes still need Parliament's approval before they bite, with fines of up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue. Welcome, but late, given how long these ads have run.

Can you get your money back if you paid a crypto scam?

Often, yes, if you paid by bank transfer. Under the Payment Systems Regulator's rules, UK banks must reimburse victims of APP fraud sent by Faster Payments or CHAPS, up to £85,000 per claim. You need to report within 13 months, and refunds are expected within five business days, or 35 if the bank pauses to investigate.

Rule	What it means for you
Maximum refund	£85,000 per claim; the Financial Ombudsman can consider up to £430,000
Excess	Your bank can deduct up to £100, but not if you're vulnerable
Deadline	Report within 13 months of the payment
Timescale	Usually 5 business days; up to 35 if the clock is paused
Main exception	Gross negligence, which the PSR calls a high bar
Covered payments	Faster Payments and CHAPS between UK accounts

Now the awkward bit. Many celebrity crypto scams route your money through an exchange account in your own name first. Banks sometimes argue that a transfer to your own account isn't an APP scam payment, so it falls outside the scheme. That's contested, so don't take a no at face value. If your bank refuses or ignores you, make a formal complaint, and after eight weeks (or a final response) you can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service for free. Our crypto scam refund guide walks through those arguments.

Frequently asked questions

Is the MrBeast crypto casino real? No. Reports from July 2026 describe hijacked Discord accounts sending fake screenshots of a MrBeast crypto casino with a $4,600 bonus. It's a scam aimed at stealing crypto wallets. Don't connect your wallet or scan any QR code.

Does Martin Lewis promote crypto investments? No. Martin Lewis is one of the most-faked faces in UK scam adverts, according to Which?. Any ad showing him recommending a crypto platform is fake and should be reported.

Is crypto itself a scam? No, crypto is a real, legal asset in the UK, though it's high risk and largely unprotected. The scam is the fake platform behind the ad. Genuine firms must be registered with the FCA.

Will my bank refund me if I sent money to a crypto scam? If you paid by Faster Payments or CHAPS and were tricked, the PSR rules require reimbursement up to £85,000, unless you were grossly negligent. Payments routed through your own exchange account are often disputed, so complain and escalate to the Ombudsman if refused.

Where do I report a fake crypto advert? Report it on the platform and through the ASA's Scam Ad Alert form, with screenshots and links. If you lost money, tell your bank and Report Fraud (Police Scotland on 101 in Scotland).

The practical next step

If you've paid, ring the number on the back of your bank card now, before anything else. If you haven't, screenshot the ad, report it to the ASA and move on. For a fuller picture, read our UK crypto scams guide and how to spot a fake crypto exchange.