UK shoppers are being targeted by fake portable air conditioner adverts, claiming to cool rooms in 90 seconds, as the country braces for another hot weekend.
These adverts, appearing on Facebook and YouTube, boast of being designed by former Nasa engineers, but the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) warns they are often “too good to be true”.
YouTuber Stuart Matthews bought several devices to test, paying £70 for one, only to find it was a simple fan worth a few pounds, he told the BBC.
The ASA has seen adverts making exaggerated claims, including cooling entire homes within minutes or using very little electricity, and featuring fake customer reviews describing dramatic temperature drops.
These adverts direct shoppers to websites selling the devices for £70-£120, with many appearing to be AI-generated, using visuals like copper coils and metallic boxes to seem sophisticated.
Meta and YouTube have been approached for comment by the BBC, as the ASA continues to warn of these misleading adverts, highlighting the need for shoppers to be cautious when buying online.
Stuart Matthews’ experience is not an isolated incident, with many others likely to have fallen victim to these scams, and the ASA’s warning serves as a reminder to verify claims before making a purchase.
The use of fake customer reviews and AI-generated visuals adds to the sophistication of these scams, making it increasingly difficult for shoppers to distinguish between genuine and fake products.
