Beware of air conditioner scams

[starlight73]

Hi everyone, I keep seeing scam air conditioning ads and just wanted to warn people as the heatwave continues… both Ads on websites and extremely persuasive, (maybe AI generated) YouTube ads

The ads generally claim it is a portable air conditioner but it is actually a very cheap air cooler or fan, and is sold with a massively inflated price. Air coolers just add water vapour to the air. It can give a cooling effect but does not lower room temperature. (This is possibly the system installed on New Routemasters but I don’t know for sure)

The claims made are misleading if not impossible - a device can’t cool the air without transferring the heat to somewhere else (not with the available technology). So an air conditioner without a hose or exhaust is not possible. It follows the pattern identified here:
Some of the other claims may include that it was invented by 2 NASA scientists or an engineer from Manchester. And that air conditioning companies are covering this new technology up


Example of a scam ad attached. Text says “thousands of Brits are choosing this budget-friendly air cooler”.

apologies for any incoherence or typos as I am exhausted

sources:

After a thorough examination of its features, technology, customer reviews, and the manufacturer details – the ChillWell Portable AC carries multiple red flags.

The device is unlikely to satisfy customers looking for serious portable air cooling capabilities despite the enthusiastic marketing claims. At best, it may offer mild cooling comparable to a basic fan.

Problems around misleading advertisements, lack of refunds, and poor durability further undermine its value proposition. You will likely get similar or better performance through lower priced fans and evaporative coolers.

https://malwaretips.com/blogs/chillwell-portable-ac/

Qinux BreezaMax is being promoted as a compact “bladeless air conditioner” that can supposedly cool a room fast, run quietly, save money on electricity, and replace bulky AC units.


But before ordering, buyers should look closely at the ads, the fake engineer story, the unrealistic cooling claims, the generic product design, the multiple sales websites, and the refund problems reported by customers. This appears to follow the same dropshipping-style gadget pattern seen with many viral cooling products: cheap bulk hardware, fake backstory, inflated claims, urgency discounts, multi-unit upsells, and returns that may be difficult or practically impossible.

Qinux BreezaMax AC EXPOSED - Scam Or Legit? Investigation

Qinux BreezaMax is being promoted as a compact “bladeless air conditioner” that can supposedly cool a room fast, run quietly, save money on electricity, and

malwaretips.com

 

[wanderingriver]

Computer Clan on YouTube has a good video on these scams:

 

[joncombe]

Yes I keep getting these ads too. One even claimed it worked without electricty. Really?!

 

[Cdd89]

They're more useful than they're given credit for. You're effectively trading lower temperature for higher humidity. I used one when I worked in an office and people argued about the air con during "borderline" internal temperatures (like 25°). Rather than get involved in the argument I'd switch on my evaporative cooler.

 

[swt_passenger]

Google told me (in reply to a scam report) that these ads do not conflict with their advertising guidelines.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Google told me (in reply to a scam report) that these ads do not conflict with their advertising guidelines.

I'm not sure what does conflict with their guidelines. Google's automated reporting system told me that an advert from an unlicenced pharmacy selling prescription medicine illegally was absolutely fine. They're not going to care about some drop-shipper misrepresenting what their crappy Chinese desk fan does.

 

[Jon_jpwh]

If I suspect an advert is a scam I check if they have any reviews on Trustpilot. If they have they will usually be very poor. If they haven't I would be suspicious.
The second check is the location of the seller as they usually seem to be somewhere like Hong Kong. This suggest that there would be considerable expense if anything had to be returned for a refund.
The most ridiculous claim I have seen is that the product has been invented by an engineer where I live.

 

[3141]

If I suspect an advert is a scam I check if they have any reviews on Trustpilot. If they have they will usually be very poor. If they haven't I would be suspicious.
The second check is the location of the seller as they usually seem to be somewhere like Hong Kong. This suggest that there would be considerable expense if anything had to be returned for a refund.
The most ridiculous claim I have seen is that the product has been invented by an engineer where I live.

I looked at the website for one of these devices, purportedly developed by a British engineer and made at his father's engineering works, keeping a number of local jobs in existence. Clicking "contact us" led to sherum.com in Kowloon.

 

[mikeg]

It amazes me they can get people, it's as if people don't understand basic thermodynamics. Also where is the ASA in all of this? Why do reputable companies permit such ludicrous ads? With all the talk of law and order, is it okay to break the law because you're in a suit/hiding behind a limited company?

 

[thenorthern]

A simple thing to remember is an air conditioner requires an exhaust hose. If a device does not have an exhaust hose then it's not an air conditioner.

 

[AlterEgo]

It amazes me they can get people, it's as if people don't understand basic thermodynamics.

That can hardly be a surprise to you. Most people would not be able to explain how thermodynamics relates to air conditioning.

 

[najaB]

A simple thing to remember is an air conditioner requires an exhaust hose. If a device does not have an exhaust hose then it's not an air conditioner.

Well, it doesn't have to have an exhaust hose - there are portable mini-split type air conditioners - but all air conditioners have to have a compressor/evaporator and refrigerant loop of some kind.

 

[brad465]

Several tech companies now just care about profits so will happily allow all sorts of adverts, even that for junk goods. "Air conditioning" ads are obviously rife right now given the high demand for cooling devices, but a lot of other stuff too, particularly personalised ads.

 

[mikeg]

That can hardly be a surprise to you. Most people would not be able to explain how thermodynamics relates to air conditioning.

Actually it is. Whilst I don't expect people to know the details of how an air conditioner works, conservation of energy is basic GCSE stuff. If it doesn't dump heat outside it can't do its job as it's impossible to destroy said heat. That should go without saying. Do you really think most people are that stupid/uneducated? I suspect it's a minority of uneducated people who fall for these scams, but then again I could be wrong...

 

[Crithylum]

Actually it is. Whilst I don't expect people to know the details of how an air conditioner works, conservation of energy is basic GCSE stuff. If it doesn't dump heat outside it can't do its job as it's impossible to destroy said heat. That should go without saying. Do you really think most people are that stupid/uneducated? I suspect it's a minority of uneducated people who fall for these scams, but then again I could be wrong...

Conservation of energy (1st law) does not prohibit these devices. As long as they send energy somewhere else (possibly power grid). 2nd law of thermodynamics I definitely do not expect some random person off the street to understand.

 

[GusB]

Actually it is. Whilst I don't expect people to know the details of how an air conditioner works, conservation of energy is basic GCSE stuff. If it doesn't dump heat outside it can't do its job as it's impossible to destroy said heat. That should go without saying. Do you really think most people are that stupid/uneducated? I suspect it's a minority of uneducated people who fall for these scams, but then again I could be wrong...

Basic GCSE stuff is easily forgotten, though, and much of it will largely be irrelevant once someone leaves school. I used to be good at chemistry but I'd struggle to remember some of the things that I learned at school because I simply do not use that knowledge in my day-to-day life. I wouldn't expect the average person to remember the laws of thermodynamics unless they had to as part of their job.

 

[mikeg]

Interesting... I guess I must just have a good memory? To me it seems bleeding obvious these devices can't work as described. And no, I don't really need to know thermodynamics as part of my job...

 

[GusB]

Interesting... I guess I must just have a good memory? To me it seems bleeding obvious these devices can't work as described. And no, I don't really need to know thermodynamics as part of my job...

Not everyone has a technical mind. It doesn't mean that they're stupid, though.

 

[AlterEgo]

Interesting... I guess I must just have a good memory? To me it seems bleeding obvious these devices can't work as described. And no, I don't really need to know thermodynamics as part of my job...

Herein lies the difference between being educated and being wise.

 

[edwin_m]

The BBC have picked this up: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj6g41pzy41o

As parts of the UK brace for another hot weekend, online adverts have been appearing for portable air conditioners claiming to be "designed by former Nasa engineers" and able to "cool a room in 90 seconds".

YouTuber Stuart Matthews, who bought several devices to test on his Proper DIY channel, told the BBC that despite paying £70 for one machine, it turned out to be "a small, simple fan worth only a few pounds".

The ASA told the BBC that some of the adverts it had seen online in recent weeks made exaggerated claims, including that a small device could cool an entire home within minutes or used very little electricity.

It also said the adverts frequently featured fake customer reviews describing dramatic temperature drops or exceptional performance.

The adverts direct shoppers to websites selling the devices, typically for between £70 and £120.

Many of the adverts also appeared to be AI-generated, using visuals such as copper coils and metallic boxes to make the products seem more sophisticated.

I watched one of the Proper DIY videos mentioned, but I can't now find it - perhaps taken down for some reason? I got the advert for the "air conditioner" three times while watching it...

These coolers exploit the "latent heat" that is taken in when water evaporates, which will lower the local temperature - basically what happens when people sweat. But as mentioned they are of little use in high humidity as found in most UK heatwaves, as the extra moisture in the air just makes sweating less effective and makes the conditions feel more oppressive.

 

[najaB]

I suspect it's a minority of uneducated people who fall for these scams, but then again I could be wrong.

They might well be educated in another field - for example arts rather than sciences.

 

[3141]

The area in which they are most uneducated, unfortunately, is the existence on the internet of plausible downright lies and the lack of effective (or perhaps any) regulation there. The story about one or more engineers using their expertise to develop a new form of air conditioning is believable. That they are manufacturing it in Britain instead of the Far East and that a huge multi-billion aircon industry is being disrupted has an appeal that extends beyond Reform supporters. The effrontery of a large manufacturer in Kowloon telling us that the product is made in Britain only becomes apparent if you spend some time investigating. It's another illustration of the opportunities for an increasing number of scammers to find new ways of stealing our money.

 

[Sorcerer]

The best question to ask when dealing with these products is simply "where is the heat going?" because there's only so many options. Proper air conditioning dumps it outside at the cost of electricity, air cooling uses it for evaporation at the cost of higher humidity, and fans simply push it away until the air it's pushing your way is too hot for it to work. If any of these scam products actually worked then the inventor needs a Nobel Prize for Science and/or Technology for breaking the laws of thermodynamics.

 

[speedy1]

... and the lack of effective (or perhaps any) regulation there.

Fraud is already illegal. Misleading advertising is already illegal. The failure is not lack of regulation. More regulation is not what what small businesses in the UK need! Why should every honest business and every law-abiding citizen pay the price for the actions of fraudsters?

Recent governments of the last couple of decades have had a nasty habit of suggesting that every criminal problem can be solved with a new law.

Consumers are not lacking in regulation and tools to avoid scams:

- There are trusted British retailers - many of whom tell you their HQ location and how long they've been in business.
- There are still shops you can go to and ask questions and inspect products.
- There is Which?
- There is the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2015 which give you rights such as inspection/trial of products.
- There is s75 and chargebacks.
- There is the Companies House website to look up company details instantly for free.
- We have free media that regularly discusses consumer issues, scams on social media, the somewhat lawlessness side of the World Wide Web.
- We have .co.uk domains

What more is needed??

 

[najaB]

- We have .co.uk domains

That doesn't mean anything. All you need to get a .co.uk domain name is a credit/debit card.

 

[speedy1]

That doesn't mean anything. All you need to get a .co.uk domain name is a credit/debit card.

Very true indeed! I had misremembered the requirements. Very important to highlight that part of my post. Thanks

 

[thenorthern]

Well, it doesn't have to have an exhaust hose - there are portable mini-split type air conditioners - but all air conditioners have to have a compressor/evaporator and refrigerant loop of some kind.

They also have to be very noisy, as I am typing this my air conditioner is switched on and yes it's noisy.

Don't get me wrong Air Coolers / Swamp coolers do work in some areas of the United Kingdom but they should not be described as air codnitioners.

 

[edwin_m]

The number of (to me) obviously scam products advertised on YouTube makes me reluctant to believe almost anything that chooses to promote itself there. The "pressure washers" that claim to exert huge pressures without consuming electricity are another one, which the channel I mentioned has also debunked.

In the winter there is advertising for a heater which looks very much like the same box but with a small heating element instead of the cooling surface, and makes similar but inverted claims about raising the temperature in large rooms by improbable amounts.

 

[TheSmiths82]

I know it is far more complicated than this, but one thing I always learnt from GCSE Physics is that you can't create energy, you can only transfer it or convert it. So to convert heat into cooler air you have to them transfer the wasted heat energy some where. In this case it has to be exhausted into another room (outside hopefully!). YouTube is full of these scams, the I have seen the heater scam too, which they claim a tiny 500w resistive electric heater can heat a very large room.
It is largely all the same product, the same casing will be used for much of these scams with only the internals changed slightly.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jul 2026 ==

They also have to be very noisy, as I am typing this my air conditioner is switched on and yes it's noisy.

Don't get me wrong Air Coolers / Swamp coolers do work in some areas of the United Kingdom but they should not be described as air codnitioners.

I don't think the centre of Manchester would be a good place to try one!

 

[najaB]

Unfortunately I didn't grab a screenshot in time but in an interesting version of the "local" aspect of these products, I had two ads on the same page, for the same junk air cooler cooler, claiming that the inventor was from two different cities.