Former New Zealand All Black Richie McCaw has been caught up in an online scam in which a number of websites and social media accounts are using his name to advertise CBD oil and gummies.
1News reports unsuspecting customers who purchased medicinal cannabis products online thinking they were buying one bottle for a small fee were charged hundreds of dollars more.
Despite some customers cancelling their orders when they discovered the scam, the products were still delivered.
When tested at the Auckland University of Technology, 1News discovered the CBD gummies had 16 times less CBD than that advertised on the label while the oil had twice as much CBD as claimed, but also traces of THC.
McCaw told 1News: “I feel really sorry for the people that have been caught up in this scam. Especially in the new digital world, these things pop up fairly regularly.
“When I partner up with anyone, a lot of thought goes into who the right people are to partner with and if it doesn’t seem right or seems a little bit odd then it probably is. I’d just encourage people, when they have that thought, to look into it a bit further.”
While the main article about McCaw has now been taken offline, other pages and social media accounts falsely using his name are still available to view. McCaw said his team is working to get them taken down.
Other celebrities caught up in the scam include former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen, Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe and pop star Lorde. There is no suggestion any of them endorse the products.
