Celebrity chef Maggie Beer has warned her followers that her image and name are being used in a series of scam ads for CBD oil.
The Great Australian Bake Off star has told followers that ads featuring her have appeared as sponsored posts on Facebook, while other ads are using her face to advertise a line of CBD oil supposedly created by the chef.
Maggie and her team have told her followers she has no association with the ads nor the CBD being advertised, calling it a scam.
In an example on her website, Maggie shows an ad depicting her picture alongside a bottle of oil and cannabis leaves. Another example features a fake news story implying Maggie uses CBD oil as a treatment for chronic pain and “wouldn’t be here without CBD”.
Although Australians can access CBD oil with TGA approval, the commercial sale of CBD oil without a prescription is illegal in Australia.
An alert from ScamWatch reports that losses to online shopping scams have increased 42% this year, with Australians losing nearly $7 million. Scamwatch has also reported receiving over 12,000 reports of online shopping scams since the start of the year.
Maggie and her team urge anyone who sees the scam to report it to ScamWatch or the ACCC. In a video on her Facebook she told followers:
It’s come to my attention that circulating out there is a scam that’s using my image and my name. Please, it has nothing to do with me.
A similar scam for CBD oil was perpetuated earlier this year, but using the face of Great British Bake Off star Mary Berry. NSW police have also warned the public that there have been reports of other celebrity endorsement scams.
