What to do if you're a victim of the online product scam featuring Marilyn Denis
Over the last year few years Marilyn has been the subject of an online scam that uses her likeness to promote a skincare line and other beauty products. False information has been spreading across the Internet in the form of ads and websites that indicate that she is leaving the show to focus on the sales of these products. This is not true. Marilyn does not personally endorse any products and is not directly affiliated with any brands. Any promoted products would only be featured on The Marilyn Denis Show, and Marilyn.ca.
Unfortunately, many loyal fans and viewers have encountered these ads and purchased these products only to discover they are not actually endorsed by Marilyn or any of the talent featured in the ads. Victims who fill out the order forms are being charged fees ranging from $40-$400, often on a recurring basis.
If you, or someone you know has been a victim of this scam, we want to help you navigate how to stop the charges, report it as a fraud, and learn how to avoid it happening again in the future.
What to do if you're a victim of the scam
- Contact your credit card company and report the scam right away. Many people have been able to recoup some, or all of the fees charged. By reporting, you're more likely to recover losses, and you're also looking out for other people in the same situation as you and can help prevent it from happening to other Canadians.
- Cancel your credit card as opposed to blocking specific future charges, as the company in question sometimes changes names and can still charge you. Make sure you've also gathered all records of the scam and change your social media passwords to be safe.
- Next, you'd want to open a fraud claim with the company's name. You can either call the police and file a report or call the Canadian Anti-Fraud Call Centre at 1-888-495-8501 for other information. Last year alone, Canadians lost more than $95-million as a result of online scams, and yet only 5% of these victims reported them as crimes.
- Report it to the Better Business Bureau. This searchable and mapable database helps consumers and law enforcement keep track of where these scams are happening across North America.
How to report a scam if you see it online
While Bell Media is working diligently with authorities and a private security firm to identify and remove these types of fake ads and stories on social media and digital platforms, you can also help. Make sure the social media account has a check mark beside the handle so you know it's the official one. If not, make sure you report the scam you see on all social platforms. Everytime someone reports a scam, you're helping other people not fall victim.
- On Twitter, submit feedback on this page.
- On Facebook, go to the page you want to report. Under the cover photo, click on the three dots and select ‘Report’.
- On Instagram, go to the profile you want to report, click on the three dots and select ‘Report’.
- Take a screenshot of any ad featuring Marilyn, take a note of when and where (website, social media platform) and forward it to BellMediaCommunications@bellmedia.ca
How to avoid being scammed in the future
Check the URL
The URL is often the first sign that something is off. For example, when it comes to products that Marilyn is allegedly endorsing, if the name following the “www dot” is not Marilyn.ca or related to The Marilyn Denis Show or a Bell Media affiliate like Your Morning, Etalk , or CTV, then that report is not coming from an official page and shouldn't be trusted.
Look for bad grammar
If ads or websites have typos or spelling mistakes, or there seems to be a lot of shock and awe in the language, check your sources. It's likely not a credible source. Head to any one of Marilyn's official social media pages to verify what you’re reading. If you don't see it posted on our accounts, it's not to be trusted.
Is the person promoting the product holding the actual product itself?
We know how easy it is to share an image of someone, but it’s trickieer to Photoshop the product into a celebrity’s hand. Beware of video that shows the celebrity then cuts to the product: that's usually a clear sign that they have zero involvement or even knowledge on the product.
Look for a second source
If you spot an endorsement from one of your favourite celebrities on Facebook, then also head to their verified websites and other social media accounts to see if they're also endorsing it there. And when in doubt - ask! We received numerous messages on our Facebook page from people asking whether or not the endorsement was real and are always more than happy to respond with the correct information. Stay alert, and spread the word!
If you think you have been a victim of fraud, please contact the Canadian Anti‐Fraud Centre at 1‐888‐495‐8501 or report online at http://www.antifraudcentre.ca.
