Celebrities including Dawn French, Robbie Williams and Holly Willoughby have signed a joint letter led by Martin Lewis urging the Prime Minister to crack down on scam adverts.
This Morning star Martin, 49, who has long campaigned against bogus ads using his face to lure users, wants tech giants to be held responsible under new laws, and for the government to put paid scam adverts in the upcoming Online Safety Bill.
Sir Richard Branson, Bear Grylls, Phillip Schofield, Lorraine Kelly, Davina McCall, Bradley Walsh, Rob Brydon, as well as Dragon's Den stars Deborah Meaden, Duncan Bannatyne and Peter Jones, are also among the celebrities who have added their name to the letter to Boris Johnson.
Cause: Celebrities including Dawn French (above), Robbie Williams and Holly Willoughby have signed a joint letter led by Martin Lewis urging the Prime Minister to crack down on scam adverts
All of the stars have had their names and photos used in scam adverts online.
In recent years This Morning host Holly's name and likeness has been used to flog diet pills and for a cryptocurrency scam.
Dawn, 64, shared a photo of the letter signed by 14 celebrities, with the caption: 'I'm joining @martinlewismse & 12 other folk like me that have had our names & faces used by criminal scammers in fraudulent ads - to call upon @borisjohnsonuk to regulate online scam ads in the Online Safety Bill #StopScamAds.'
The letter read: 'The UK is facing an epidemic of scam adverts.
'Every day, criminals are scamming innocent people out of life-changing amounts of money or risking their health by selling them fake health cures.
Targeted: Stars including the This Morning host (L) and the singer (R) have been used in scam ads
Letter: Dawn, 64, shared a photo of the letter signed by 14 celebrities
Anger: Back in June, The Vicar Of Dibley actress took to Twitter to hit back at a sham testimonial for a diet brand which used falsely attributed quotes from her
'Consumers are being targeted on a scale we have never seen before.
'One of the most common online scammers' tricks is misusing the names and faces of well-known trusted public figures.'
While user-generated scams will be covered by the Online Safety Bill, as well as a wide range of areas such as terrorism and child sexual exploitation, paid scam advertising will not.
Dawn French lead stars urging PM to crack down on scam adverts
por Karri Worrall (2021-11-28)
Celebrities including Dawn French, Robbie Williams and Holly Willoughby have signed a joint letter led by Martin Lewis urging the Prime Minister to crack down on scam adverts.
This Morning star Martin, 49, who has long campaigned against bogus ads using his face to lure users, wants tech giants to be held responsible under new laws, and for the government to put paid scam adverts in the upcoming Online Safety Bill.
Sir Richard Branson, Bear Grylls, Phillip Schofield, Lorraine Kelly, Davina McCall, Bradley Walsh, Rob Brydon, as well as Dragon's Den stars Deborah Meaden, Duncan Bannatyne and Peter Jones, are also among the celebrities who have added their name to the letter to Boris Johnson.
Cause: Celebrities including Dawn French (above), Robbie Williams and Holly Willoughby have signed a joint letter led by Martin Lewis urging the Prime Minister to crack down on scam adverts
All of the stars have had their names and photos used in scam adverts online.
In recent years This Morning host Holly's name and likeness has been used to flog diet pills and for a cryptocurrency scam.
Dawn, 64, shared a photo of the letter signed by 14 celebrities, with the caption: 'I'm joining @martinlewismse & 12 other folk like me that have had our names & faces used by criminal scammers in fraudulent ads - to call upon @borisjohnsonuk to regulate online scam ads in the Online Safety Bill #StopScamAds.'
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The letter read: 'The UK is facing an epidemic of scam adverts.
'Every day, criminals are scamming innocent people out of life-changing amounts of money or risking their health by selling them fake health cures.
Targeted: Stars including the This Morning host (L) and the singer (R) have been used in scam ads
Letter: Dawn, 64, shared a photo of the letter signed by 14 celebrities
Anger: Back in June, The Vicar Of Dibley actress took to Twitter to hit back at a sham testimonial for a diet brand which used falsely attributed quotes from her
'Consumers are being targeted on a scale we have never seen before.
'One of the most common online scammers' tricks is misusing the names and faces of well-known trusted public figures.'
While user-generated scams will be covered by the Online Safety Bill, as well as a wide range of areas such as terrorism and child sexual exploitation, paid scam advertising will not.