Is Digital Marketing Legit or Not? 14 Digital Marketing Scams to Avoid

Today, who isn’t using digital marketing? From small businesses to large ones in the UK, digital marketing has become essential for everyone.

And there is no reason why it should not be necessary when it offers so many benefits, such as more reach, engagement, and an audience who knows about your brand. When it is done the right way, digital marketing is 100% real and effective.

However, here is the problem: not everyone in this field is honest. Some digital marketers promise results that are not even realistic and don’t deliver. Others are straight-up scammers who take your money and use fake strategies, tools, and ads.

So, it is fair for you to ask: Is digital marketing legit or not?

The short answer to this question is that digital marketing is legitimate, but because of scammers, it becomes difficult for businesses to trust reliable digital marketers.

That is why in this article, we will explain:

🔘Is digital marketing legit?

🔘Why does digital marketing get a bad reputation?

🔘And 14 common scams you should watch out for.

By the end, you will know how to spot the scammers and protect your business from getting scammed.

Is Digital Marketing Legit or Not?

Searches regarding this question have increased because many want to know whether digital marketing is trustworthy. To answer your question, digital marketing is 100% legit.

It is a marketing strategy used by businesses to reach audiences online and generate more sales. Many top brands like Amazon, Apple, and even your local coffee shop use digital marketing tools such as SEO, social media, content marketing, email campaigns, and paid ads to grow the number of people who regularly buy the company’s products and services.

However, because it is such a popular marketing strategy with low entry barriers, many scams and shady practices are also happening. This leads to many questioning its legitimacy.

Some so-called “experts” make promises that are too unrealistic, give fake results, or disappear after being paid.

So, digital marketing is legit, but if you want to avoid the scams, it is important to:

🔘You should work with digital marketing agencies or freelancers who are known in the market and have a good reputation.

🔘Look for verified reviews, real case studies, and clear communication.

🔘Avoid anyone who guarantees instant results or makes vague claims.

In short, digital marketing is legit, but not everyone offering digital marketing services is. The key is to educate yourself and partner with professionals who focus on long-term, ethical results.

Why Digital Marketing Gets a Bad Reputation

Digital marketing gets a bad reputation, but not because it doesn’t work. It is because of how some individuals and companies misuse it. Here are some of the reasons why people don’t trust the industry.

1. False Promises and Unrealistic Guarantees

There are some digital marketing experts who can’t be trusted and make clients believe that they can fulfil promises that can’t be achieved within a week or overnight.

The clients get attracted to these unrealistic claims because they sound good. However, they can’t be achieved without using unethical practices or bots.

That is why when the results don’t surpass the client’s expectations, they feel that the agency or individual they have hired has made them a fool, leading to digital marketing getting a bad reputation.

2. Lack of Transparency

Many agencies and freelancers don’t explain to the clients what they are and will be doing.

They don’t keep them informed, which makes them unsure if the agency they have selected is doing what they promised and if any progress is being made.

This creates mistrust and leads many individuals and businesses to think digital marketing isn’t legit.

3. Fake Metrics and Vanity Numbers

Too many marketers focus on likes, follows, or traffic, which look impressive but don’t convert into sales. Businesses then feel like they have wasted money chasing numbers that don’t grow their bottom line.

4. Scammers and Overnight “Gurus”

Because it’s so easy to start a digital marketing business with creative names, the field is full of underqualified individuals looking to make a quick buck. These scammers often overcharge, underdeliver, and ruin the experience for clients, giving the whole industry a bad image.

5. Overcoming, Under-delivering

A lot of marketing campaigns fail not because digital marketing is flawed, but because expectations are set too high. When clients expect miracles, and what they get is slow, steady progress, they feel let down.

6. Spammy Practices

You have seen pop-ups, clickbait ads, aggressive email tactics, and misleading offers. These give digital marketing a spammy feel for many users, further damaging its reputation.

Digital Marketing Scams You Must Avoid

Let’s get into the real meat of the issue. Below are some of the most common digital marketing scams you should avoid at all costs:

1. Directory Listing Promises

Directory listings are online profiles or business listings on third-party websites. These listings show the public your NAP (name, address, and phone number). These directory listings are like an introduction to prospective customers searching for your business.

However, this is where many shady marketers scam you. They claim they will get it in “exclusive directories” that will help improve your SEO or rank your business listing higher on Google.

But these marketers don’t do what you have expected; instead, they create directories that have zero authority and traffic, no relevance to your industry or aren’t indexed by Google.

They even charge a hefty fee for essentially nothing of value. This means your money is getting wasted, and your SEO is also affected by building low-quality backlinks. So, the best you can do is:

🔘Stick to trusted platforms like Google Business Profile, Yelp, etc.

🔘Constantly check the directory source

🔘Check domain authority

🔘Verify search traffic before paying

2. Fake SEO Services

This one’s a classic. With the increased usage of SEO due to the obvious reasons and benefits, many fake SEO agencies take advantage of it. These agencies promise higher rankings for dirt-cheap prices, but:

🔘They often use black-hat techniques like keyword stuffing and link spamming.

🔘They also don’t work on your site and send auto-generated reports every month.

Business owners who don’t understand SEO are usually the prey of these fake SEO scammers. They promise that the businesses can see the results and rank within a day.

However, those who know about SEO and hire a trustworthy SEO company in the UK will know that true SEO takes time, strategic planning, and quality content.

These scammers take your money and vanish or charge you regularly while doing absolutely nothing. You can protect yourself from these fake scammers by:

🔘Asking for the SEO strategy they use, timelines, and sample reports.

🔘Ask for case studies and references

🔘Check real testimonials

Checking this will help you immensely and save your site from getting penalised by Google and losing traffic.

Recommended Reads: How Much Does It Cost to Hire an SEO Company in the UK

3. Pay-to-Play Guest Posting

Guest posting is a great SEO strategy when it is done ethically. However, scammers still find ways to exploit such a strategy. The fake marketers will charge you for guest posts and will place your content on the following:

🔘Low-quality, unrelated blogs

🔘Websites that are part of private blog networks (PBNs)

🔘Sites where your article is deleted after a few weeks

They will promise your placement on high-authority websites but use link farms or expired domains repurposed to look authoritative.

So, you will be paying a huge amount for guest posting, which will end up being a link on a spam-ridden site that eventually gets deindexed. You can avoid this digital marketing scam by:

🔘Requesting the domain name beforehand

🔘Check its backlink profile

🔘Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to verify its authority

🔘Reaching out to websites in your niche directly

🔘Working with reputable outreach services only

Also Explore: Ahrefs vs SEMrush: The SEO Battle of the Giants

4. Social Media Follower Farming

We place too much importance on the followers and likes we get on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook.

But when it comes to businesses, it is essential to notice such things. These are significant ways to build the customer base and track what’s popular. This is why digital marketing in the UK is essential for businesses.

However, have you ever come across digital marketing agencies that promise an unrealistic increase in social media following? Then, you should back off and not approach them.

Buying followers looks like a fast track to social proof, but these followers are almost always fake accounts or bots. Fake agencies sell “follower growth” without clarifying their methods, which often engage in farming.

Not only do fake followers not engage with your content, but platforms like Instagram and Facebook are cracking down on these practices. These fake followers also don’t like, comment, or buy from you and even make your profile look suspicious.

If you also want real engagement, reach, and credibility, you don’t need shortcuts from shady providers; instead, build trust by posting engaging content and growing your audience organically.

5. Automated Bot Engagement

Another digital marketing scam that you should avoid, and which makes many wonder whether digital marketing is legit or not, is automated bot engagement.

Some agencies claim that they can help you increase likes, comments, and shares through automation tools. However, they only use bots that spam comments and auto-like content.

Also, they don’t convert and hurt your brand’s authenticity. Even many platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram penalise automated interactions. Real engagement means human connection, and bots can’t copy that. If the engagement isn't from real people, it's not valuable.

6. Guaranteed #1 Google Rankings

No one can guarantee you the #1 spot on Google. Do you know why? Here are some reasons:

🔘Google’s algorithm is always changing.

🔘Rankings depend on competition.

🔘Domain authority.

🔘Quality of the content.

🔘Search intent affects results.

🔘Google warns against ranking guarantees.

🔘Good SEO focuses on sustainable growth, not promises.

It is a huge red flag when an agency promises top rankings within a particular timeframe. Scammers often use a pitch that seems so realistic and appealing that businesses are locked into contracts with these scammers.

They, then, deliver results using black-hat tactics that don’t even benefit you in the long term and get you penalised. This makes it important to work with agencies focusing on long-term growth, not hollow guarantees.

7. “Secret” Traffic-Boosting Software

This scam usually comes in the form of a slick ad claiming, “This software drove 10,000 visitors to my site overnight.”

What they don’t tell you is that these visitors are usually bots or click farms. The software may generate traffic on paper, but it’s completely valueless. No leads, no engagement—just empty numbers.

Worse, such tools can cause spikes in bounce rates and even result in penalties from Google Analytics if flagged as suspicious activity. Real traffic comes from content, ads, SEO, and consistent branding.

Recommended Reads: Google Analytics 4 Tutorial for Beginners

8. Ghost Marketers

Here, we are not talking about ghost marketers who use ghost marketing to help businesses promote their products and services using third-party individuals or companies.

Instead, we are mentioning the fake digital marketing freelancers or agencies that vanish as soon as you pay the deposit. Some freelancers or agencies vanish as soon as you pay the deposit.

They don’t respond to emails, calls, or messages. Or they submit a few generic reports to appear busy while doing nothing that moves the needle. These ghost marketers often prey on startups or solo entrepreneurs. They rely on vague proposals, lack measurable KPIs, and dodge accountability.

So, the best protection you can use is to ask for payment milestones, timelines, and clear KPIs before you start.

9. Cloaked Affiliate Marketing Schemes

Another digital marketing scam is cloaked affiliate marketing schemes. Some digital marketers set up campaigns using your ad spend but redirect the traffic to their own affiliate sites or offers.

You think you are promoting your brand, but in reality, your money is being used to boost their income. They hide this behind jargon and misleading dashboards. It’s theft, plain and simple.

That is why you should monitor all campaigns closely, demand transparent analytics, and ensure your brand’s URLs are always visible in the ads you are funding.

10. Influencer Impersonation

Scammers impersonate well-known influencers or agencies and reach out to brands with collaboration proposals. They offer you:

🔘Paid promotions

🔘Brand collaborations

🔘Sponsored content deals

They might use spoofed emails, fake Instagram profiles, or even deepfakes. Once payment is sent for a shoutout or sponsored post, they disappear or deliver a post on a fake page with fake followers.

What you can do is verify influencer credentials through official channels. If someone claiming to represent a big influencer reaches out, double-check by contacting the influencer’s official management or checking their official site.

11. Falsified Back Catalogue

When you search for the best digital marketing agencies in the UK, you look at the client reviews, ratings, testimonials, and portfolios. However, how can you tell these elements are not fake? You will have to perform a little investigation to learn if these agencies are legit.

First, you can check the company's website to see who they are claiming as clients. For example, Arramton has clearly shown the case studies and portfolios. They have shown the clients we have worked with and case studies of our completed projects.

You can also validate the company’s back catalogue by looking at its business profile on Clutch, TrustPilot, or its social media platforms.

The scammers scam you by copying portfolios, case studies, or client logos to appear more established. They copy screenshots from other companies or list made-up projects with fake testimonials. This may make them look like a trusted agency, but it is essential to check their references twice.

You can also try reaching out to the clients they have mentioned and checking reviews on third-party platforms. An impressive back catalogue can be fake, so stay alert for such scams.

12. Fake Reviews and Testimonials

Have you ever seen a service with dozens of 5-star reviews that all sound oddly similar? That is no coincidence. Many digital marketing scams involve paying for fake reviews to build credibility. Many of these reviews are often:

🔘AI-generated

🔘Written by the agency itself using fake profiles

🔘Copied from other businesses

Google, Yelp, and Trustpilot take action against fake or misleading reviews, and if caught, your brand’s credibility can take a major hit. Genuine testimonials should come from verified clients with traceable business profiles.

13. Lead Generation Scams

Lead generation is essential for most businesses, which is why many look for lead generation companies in the UK. However, it is also an exploited area in digital marketing. They promise “hot leads” but offer:

🔘Random phone numbers

🔘Outdated contact lists

🔘Audience who don’t know your business

The scammers deliver leads that are often purchased from unreliable sources or entirely fabricated. They even resell the same leads to multiple clients. These leads can damage your brand’s reputation and waste your sales team’s time and resources.

But you can also play smart by:

🔘Asking how leads are sourced

🔘Requesting a test batch

🔘Ensuring leads are exclusive and qualified

It is usually a digital marketing scam if someone offers hundreds of leads for a too-good-to-be-true price.

14. Ad Budget Theft

Ad budget theft is considered a financially damaging digital marketing scam. In this scam, you give your marketer a set budget to run Facebook or Google ads after learning about the Facebook and Google Ads prices, but instead of spending the full amount, they:

🔘Pocket part of it

🔘Run campaigns that are poorly targeted

🔘Show you misleading performance reports

They may also charge inflated “management fees” and refuse to give you access to your own ad dashboards. In some extreme cases, marketers set up shadow accounts that mimic your ad account, so while you think you are running one campaign, they are pocketing part of your spending.

To avoid this, always retain full ownership and access to your ad accounts, regularly check your analytics and spend reports, and never pay for ads through a third party unless absolutely necessary and contractually clear.

Wrapping Up

Till now, we have answered your question: Is digital marketing legit or not? Digital marketing is legitimate when it is done ethically and using the right strategies. It helps businesses grow, build their online presence, and reach more customers.

But not everyone does it honestly. Scams have made many individuals and businesses doubt the industry. That’s why digital marketing gets a bad name.

We have covered 14 common digital marketing scams like fake SEO services, social media follower farms, automated bots, fake reviews, lead generation scams, and ad budget theft. These scams are real, and they harm businesses that fall for them.

You can avoid such scams if you check the company’s credentials, ask for proof of results, and stay away from those offers that sound too good to be true.

If you are looking for honest and reliable digital marketing help, look no further than Arramton. We are a team of experienced professionals who believe in doing things the right way.

Arramton offers trusted digital marketing services that work. No shortcuts. No false promises. Just real results.

Don’t let scammers hold your business back. Partner with Arramton today and experience digital marketing as it should be: real, reliable, and ROI-focused.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1 Which city is best for digital marketing in the UK?

Ans London is the best city in the UK for digital marketing. It has the top agencies, skilled professionals, and great companies, so you will find a reliable company there that can take your digital marketing project.

Q2 Why do some people think digital marketing is a scam?

Ans Some people think it is a scam because they have been tricked by fake marketers. These scammers promise fast results, take your money, and then disappear, or they do very little work. Because of these bad experiences, people start to doubt digital marketing as a whole, even though many professionals do honest and great work.

Q3 How can I avoid digital marketing scams?

Ans You can avoid scams by doing a few simple things:

🔘Look up reviews from real people

🔘Ask for examples of past work

🔘Make sure they explain what they will do

🔘Avoid anyone who promises instant results

🔘Check if they have a website, business address, and contact number

🔘If something feels off or too good to be true, walk away.

Q4 How do I know if the company is real?

Ans To check if a company is real, start with a simple Google search. Look for their website, check for a physical address, and read online reviews. See if they are listed on trusted business sites like LinkedIn or Google Business. You can also ask for client references or check their portfolio. A real company will be open, clear, and happy to answer your questions.