Associated Incidents
Which? has issued a warning about a global financial scam called 'Quantum AI,' a platform promoting dodgy investment schemes. The scam utilises AI, but as a means of impersonating celebrities and organisations in apparent endorsements of the scam. On the 'Quantum' side the only likely reference will be to the amount of cash the scammers are able to gather by their illegal efforts, rather than any use of quantum computing; the new and very powerful, but still under development, next generation of computers.
Quantum AI
What is Quantum AI? It is not an easy concept to understand, but essentially it is the combination of two things: machine learning with quantum computing. This enables artificial intelligence to increase its capabilities by using quantum principles like:
"Superposition and entanglement to speed up data processing and solve problems way beyond any traditional computer's ability."
In his article 'Quantum AI for beginners,' Dulain Nimthaka Jayasumana says it can be thought of in this way:
"Classical AI runs on normal computers, using algorithms to recognize patterns, make predictions, and optimize tasks.
"Quantum AI taps into qubits, which can exist in multiple states at once (thanks to superposition), allowing it to compute faster and more efficiently in certain scenarios.
"Classical artificial intelligence uses algorithms to recognise patterns, make predictions and optimise tasks and runs on normal computers.
"Today's AI models work with huge datasets and perform complex calculations. However, certain tasks like those for simulating molecules for drug discovery or supply chain optimization are still too slow or too expensive to compute."
What does Which? say?
In 2024, Which? magazine exposed a worldwide financial scam called 'Quantum AI.' In 2025 Which? reported again on 'Quantum AI,' and noted that it "... impersonated celebs to lure unsuspecting victims into dodgy investment schemes."
Which? have gone on to say that their Tech investigation discovered last year that "'Quantum AI' is a global scam that uses AI to impersonate celebrities and organisations, including the BBC, Elon Musk and David Beckham, to promote an investment scheme."
Quantum AI ads
Additionally, Which? reports that "The scam has reappeared in recent weeks and Which? has found 12 adverts posted on Facebook and Instagram promoting 'Quantum AI'".
The deceitful ads are said to include:
- An advertisement presenting an automation service claiming to be able to 'mimic the trading styles of professionals.' It promoted this as 'letting AI handle the market for you.'
- An advert using Elon Musk's image, including "fake tweets from Musk promoting the opportunity for 'Quantum AI' users to earn hundreds of euros a day."
- Several 'Quantum AI' websites linked to the scam, with a number of Trustpilot reviews for each of them. Recent reviewers claimed that the scam impersonated Martin Lewis, Richard Branson, Jeremy Clarkson and Keir Starmer, as well as This Morning, to promote the financial scheme.
The Money Saving Expert website reported in early July that scammers are using an AI-generated deepfake video of the founder Martin Lewis to persuade people to give them money.
Lewis commented on X: "This is frightening, it's the first deep fake video scam I've seen with me in it. Govt & regulators must step up to stop big tech publishing such dangerous fakes. People'll lose money and it'll ruin lives."
How does the scam work?
- "You follow an advert on social media promoting Quantum AI. Usually, the image or branding of a famous person or company is used to peddle the scheme.
- "The advert leads to a website which sometimes impersonates a news organisation, like the BBC, in a fake article promoting the investment scheme.
- "On the website, you'll be prompted to enter your personal information in order to be contacted by a 'financial advisor.' These details may include your name, phone number or email address.
- "You'll then be bombarded by phone calls from a 'financial advisor' who'll want to set you up on the Quantum AI platform. You may also receive emails or text messages. Typically, you'll be asked to initially make an investment of £200-£250."
Spotting scam social media adverts
Which? have also advised that a post on social media or advert may be part of a scam if:
- "It isn't posted from an official account but features well-known celebrities or organisations.
- "It uses deepfakes -- you can spot these by looking out for unnatural movements, strange background noises, and unusual details in the hair, lighting and skin tone of the person in videos and images.
- "It leads to a website that asks for your personal and financial details.
- "It leads to a website that was recently created -- you can find out when a site was created by typing it into the Who.is website."
Reporting investment scams
Which? also say that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have issued a warning about 'Quantum AI,' stating that it "may be providing or promoting financial services or products without its permission."
The FCA has a register which lists financial firms authorised to operate in the UK, and Which? recommends to avoid firms that are not on this list.
Which? goes on to advise that on social media, "you can report posts by selecting the three dots in the top-right corner of the post and pressing 'report.'"
And further, that suspicious websites can be reported to the National Cyber Security Centre.
If you are a victim to a text scam, you can report it to Action Fraud, or to the police if you live in Scotland.
Other current scams
Which? are also warning about dodgy Dragons' Den ads, saying that they had discovered as many as 62 ads online:
"... claiming to sell Nixol (a weight-loss pill), which either included Dragons' Den logos, posted from accounts called 'Dragon's' Den' or used the image of the well-known Dragon, Deborah Meaden."
For more information on this please see here.
Another scam which has come to the attention of Which? concerns someone who had a bill of £650 stacked up by scammers after having had their Amazon account hacked. It was reported that "the victim only noticed when emails started appearing daily in their inbox, with details of the products being ordered without their knowledge."
To keep your online accounts secure please see Which? useful advice found here.
To help others avoid scams please see the Which? online scam sharer tool found here.