Last updated: October 2026
The most common CBD scams in the UK are fake celebrity adverts for “miracle” CBD gummies, free trials that become expensive subscriptions, and products that contain far less CBD than the label says. To avoid them, buy from a UK brand on the FSA public list, ask for a batch lab report and ignore cure claims.
Below: the 6 scams to watch for, a 7-point checklist before you buy, how to check the FSA list, and what to do if you’ve been caught out.
6 common CBD scams
| Scam | How it works | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Fake celebrity endorsements | Doctored articles or videos claim a TV personality, often from Dragons’ Den, backs a CBD gummy | Celebrity “news story” on social media or a fake news site |
| Free trial subscription traps | You pay a few pounds for postage; small print signs you up to large monthly charges. Which? reported one victim charged £198 instead of £5 | “Just pay postage”, hard-to-find terms |
| Miracle cure claims | Products claim to cure anxiety, pain, diabetes or arthritis | Any claim to treat or cure a condition, which is illegal for CBD in the UK |
| Fake tracking | A tracking site shows your parcel “delayed in customs” while more money is taken | Overseas warehouse, vague courier name |
| Under-dosed products | The bottle contains much less CBD than the label, or none | No batch lab report, or a report that doesn’t match the batch |
| Hemp seed oil sold as CBD | Cheap hemp seed oil marketed with cannabis leaves and “hemp extract” wording | No CBD amount in mg; suspiciously cheap. See hemp oil vs CBD oil |
Our pick
CBD Oil Broad Spectrum
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Broad spectrum with 0% THC, every batch third-party lab tested, made in the UK. For adults only. We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Free UK delivery over £45.
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View product7-point checklist before you buy
- On the FSA public list? CBD food products sold in the UK must be linked to an application on it.
- Batch lab report available? It should show CBD content and THC level for your batch. See how to read a CBD lab report.
- CBD stated in mg per bottle and per serving, not just “1000mg hemp”.
- No medical claims. Legitimate brands don’t say CBD cures or treats anything.
- A real UK business: company name, address and contact details you can check on Companies House.
- Clear pricing and terms: no hidden subscription, easy cancellation.
- Genuine reviews: be wary of perfect scores and identical wording. Fake reviews are illegal in the UK.
For a full buyer’s guide, see best CBD oil UK.
How to check the FSA public list
- Go to the FSA’s CBD products list.
- Search for the brand or product name.
- Check the product is there, and note its status.
Being on the list means the product is linked to a novel food application that’s progressing; it isn’t an FSA endorsement of quality. Our CBD products are on the list. See the FSA’s first CBD approvals explained and is CBD legal in the UK?
How common are mislabelled products?
| Study | What it found |
|---|---|
| UK testing, 2019 (30 CBD oils) | 11 contained less than half the CBD on the label, one contained none, and nearly half contained measurable THC |
| US study, 2017 (84 products bought online) | About 31% were accurately labelled; THC was found in about 1 in 5 |
| US study, 2022 (80 products) | 5 of 21 products labelled “THC-free” contained THC |
THC in a CBD product can make you feel high and can show on a drug test. See CBD and drug tests.
What to do if you’ve been scammed
- Call your bank straight away to stop further payments and ask about a chargeback.
- Cancel any recurring payment through your bank, not just the seller.
- Report it to Report Fraud (which replaced Action Fraud) online or on 0300 123 2040 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or Police Scotland on 101.
- Report the advert to the platform it appeared on and to the Advertising Standards Authority.
- Don’t take the product if you don’t know what’s in it.
How we do things
We’re a UK brand. Our CBD oils and capsules are broad spectrum, on the FSA public list, and batch tested by an independent ISO 17025 lab, with reports available on request from our lab testing page. We don’t use celebrity endorsements or free-trial offers, and our Subscribe and Save option is always optional. The FSA’s 10mg a day figure is precautionary advice rather than a legal limit, set while longer-term safety research continues. At Evopure we think it is a very cautious figure, and many adults use more. If you go above it, increase slowly, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medication.
Video: how to spot CBD scams and misinformation
Our short video on the red flags to look for before you buy any CBD product.
See also CBD for weight loss: the truth behind the gummy adverts.
Wondering whether a low price is too good to be true? See why CBD oil is so expensive, with a checklist for spotting suspiciously cheap CBD.
If you want to check us against this list, about Evopure sets out who we are, what goes into our oils and how they’re tested.
Related guides
- For figures on product quality and mislabelling, see our CBD statistics for the UK.
- A good lab report also shows residual solvents, the clearest sign of careless extraction; see how CBD is extracted.
- Prefer to buy in person? Our guide to Holland and Barrett CBD covers what to check on the shelf.
- Learn to read strength labels properly with our guide to whether 500mg, 1,000mg or 2,000mg CBD oil is strong.
- Buying in a shop instead? See Boots CBD: what to check before you buy.
- Fake ads sometimes borrow real brand names: see fake “Supreme CBD Gummies” ads and what to check.
- The same checks apply in the sales, and our CBD Black Friday deals page explains what to look for before you buy from anyone this November.
- Lookalike brand names are common: see our note on “Vibez” pages and Vibes CBD reviews.
- A Union Flag or a .co.uk address doesn’t prove where an oil was made; our guide to UK made CBD oil shows what to check.
Sources 6
- Which? CBD oil scams: fraudulent celeb endorsements and fake shipping tracking.
- FSA. CBD products list.
- Bonn-Miller MO et al. Labeling accuracy of cannabidiol extracts sold online. JAMA, 2017.
- Johnson E et al. CBD product contamination: THC concentrations in commercially available CBD products. Drug Alcohol Depend, 2022.
- Centre for Medicinal Cannabis. Testing of UK CBD products, 2019.
- Which? Report Fraud: what the new fraud reporting service means.
