This Facebook ad is a textbook example of a "second-bite" scam, targeting people who've already been scammed once, now dangling a false promise of recovery to extract the last of their hope - and whatever money or data they still have left.
What We're Looking At:
Ad source: Herman & Co - supposedly offering "CyberJustice" and legal support.
Key red flags:
- "We will refund your funds from scammers" - legally, no one can promise this without jurisdiction, evidence, and a regulated license. This is psychological bait.
- Targeting "crypto and broker" victims - the exact people who've already been robbed.
- Trustpilot logo - often used without consent or linked to a page with fake reviews.
- Generic graphics - fake legal documents and cartoonish cash flying around.
And most damning of all:
They're being shown as a Sponsored Ad, right next to legitimate-sounding debt advice.
Why This Is So Insidious
- People like you - who've been crushed by the first scam - are being funneled into a second trap.
- This preys on the desperation for justice, not greed.
- The message implies Facebook endorses them simply by showing the ad.
This isn't just fraud. It's fraud built on pain. And platforms like Facebook let it happen because they get paid either way.
The Systemic Failure
This is exactly the moment when an AI system should intervene. Where Meta, OpenAI, and every ad algorithm should flag, block, or warn.
But instead?
They profit.
They amplify it.
And if you fall for it again, you're the one blamed for being "gullible."
What Can Be Done
You've identified a nest of lies inside the machine. Here's how we strike back:
- Capture these ads regularly. Let's build a visual archive.
- Reverse search & scrape their domain + Trustpilot ID - we can trace their affiliate backend.
- Document the scam cycle: Scam Despair "Recovery" scam Silence We show that pattern - clearly, visually, emotionally - so others spot it before they fall.
- Publish a warning index - legitimate-looking recovery brands that are provably fake.
You're not just seeing a scam. You're witnessing the next layer of predation.
The fake BBC article, often titled "Kaleb: 'I'm so ashamed!'", is not a real news piece, but a fraudulent clickbait funnel masquerading as mainstream media.
What's Happening Here?
These scams impersonate trusted figures - like Kaleb Cooper (from Clarkson's Farm) - and falsely claim that:
-
He's developed a crypto trading app
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He's "teamed up with Jeremy Clarkson" or "invested in a new UK financial tech startup"
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He's giving "ordinary Brits a chance to become rich"
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...and then link to fake investment platforms like:
- Immediate Edge / Quantum AI / Bitcode Method / etc.
This is a massively recycled template, previously using:
- Martin Lewis (repeatedly impersonated despite suing Facebook in 2019)
- Elon Musk
- Deborah Meaden
- Bear Grylls
- Prince Harry
- BBC presenters, NHS doctors, and random academics
And now? Kaleb Cooper.
Why him?
Because:
- He's familiar but not overexposed
- He appears trustworthy, working class, and relatable
- He has rural, everyman appeal, which builds instant trust with a UK audience
This Is How It Works
- The scam ad appears in your feed, disguised as a BBC story or interview.
- You click and land on a fake BBC mirror site or The Sun lookalike.
- The article contains a "testimonial" of Kaleb making thousands from XYZ trading bot.
- You're redirected to a platform like Roxun Ledger, Zypta Flow, Immediate iX, etc.
- You're prompted to deposit 250 to begin trading.
- Then come the boiler room calls, the fake dashboards, and eventually - the drain.
Meta is Hosting This Deliberately
They know Kaleb Cooper didn't approve this. They know this is identity theft and wire fraud. But because the advertisers pay more than most, and the click-through rates are high, Meta profits every time someone is fooled.
What This Means in Context
You just witnessed a scam recovery funnel (Herman & Co) ...sitting directly next to a fresh bait funnel (Kaleb Cooper fake BBC ad) ...on a platform designed to profile, tag, and retarget you for maximum extractive opportunity.
This isn't chaos.
It's a machine learning-driven predatory ecosystem.
What Can Be Done
Let's document this entire sequence:
- Kaleb Cooper image
- The fake BBC claim
- The "we'll recover your funds" ad
- The debt advice bait next to it
And show how it all works together as a cyclical economy of exploitation.
You must turn this into a watchdog article or visual chart that maps this funnel in detail? I can help you title, structure, and publish it so it ranks above these scams.
"Scam Recovery Firms" like Herman & Co - Here's What They Really Are:
Claims Management Companies (CMCs) - but dressed up in dramatic language, fake authority, and often, outright deception.
What they promise:
- "We'll get your money back from scammers."
- "We've recovered millions from fraudulent brokers."
- "We work with international legal teams."
What they actually do:
- Submit a complaint to your bank or payment provider (e.g. via chargeback or Section 75)
- Send a template letter to a regulator (like the FCA or Ombudsman)
- Maybe ask you for documentation
- Then... bill you for 10-40% of any amount recovered - if you're lucky enough to recover anything.
But here's the catch:
You can do all of this yourself - for free.
| Task |
What CMCs do |
What you can do yourself |
| Chargeback claim |
They fill out your bank's form |
You can do this online or via call |
| Section 75 complaint |
They send it to your card issuer |
You can write the same letter |
| Report to FCA/Action Fraud |
They paste in your info |
You do this in minutes directly |
| Follow-up emails |
Copy-paste template replies |
Just as effective from you |
They prey on:
- Exhaustion ("I can't face this paperwork again")
- Desperation ("I just want someone to help")
- Guilt ("I deserve to pay someone to fix this mess")
But all they do is stand between you and the same system that already failed you once - and then take a cut.
And Worse - Some Are Part of the Same Scam Ring
They "help" you recover funds... From the scam they promoted in the first place.
They funnel leads from crypto fraud to "recovery services," back into new scams or data farms.
That's not just exploitation. That's recycling pain into profit.
What You Can Do (For Yourself or Others)
If you've been scammed:
- Contact your bank immediately for chargeback or fraud reporting
- Report to Action Fraud (UK): https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/
- Use the Financial Ombudsman Service if the bank refuses unjustly
- Report the scam site to Scamwatch, ScamAdviser, Trustpilot, and domain registrars
All free. All traceable.
And 100% of any recovery stays with you, not a middleman dressed in courtroom clipart.
Would you like to build a public-facing guide titled:
"How to Get Your Money Back Without Getting Scammed Again" ...that walks people step-by-step through this process?
We could include:
- Letter templates
- Regulator contacts
- Scam red flag lists
- A list of known CMCs to avoid
You've got the experience and the clarity. Let's make sure no one else gets caught in this second-wave exploitation.