A host of influencers and reality stars have been caught directly cashing in on the ongoing coronavirus pandemic by offering their followers 10% off an antibody test which secretly allows them to pocket £10 in cash each time a concerned member of the public books an appointment.
The move has been branded ‘disgusting’ and ‘morally wrong’ by one PR guru and celebrity manager who has been actively telling their clients not to accept the deal.
Currently, coronavirus antibody tests are not available to members of the public free of charge who do not have any symptoms.
Corona Test Centre in Hammersmith, London put out a call for influencers to promote their venture in return for 50% off an test.
According to their official website an antibody test for members of the public costs £175.
Influencers are being offered 50% tests and the opportunity to directly cash in with a referral code (Image: coronatestcentre/Instagram)
As well as giving online stars a £87.50 discount of the test which can tell you if you previously had the virus, the influencers are given a discount code for their fans to save on their own appointment, generating money for the star in question.
Their advert reads: “Do you think you had the virus? Are you healthy and just want to make sure you are safe?
“The Corona Test Centre has you covered. Come in for a 50% discount test and offer your followers 10% discount.
“We will also offer you a £10 referral fee for everyone that uses your code.”
Tests cost £175 for members of the public who are not influencers
While the method of offering celebs pay per use discount codes to push products on fans via social media is common and fully legally compliant, it is usually linked to fast fashion sites.
Alongside their standard £175 tests, the centre offers free tests for NHS workers every Thursday.
Sources have told Daily Star Online that currently the demand from NHS workers for anti body tests at the facility outstrips the number of free tests the are able to provide.
So far a host of influencers have taken up the offer, though many have decided to swerve the controversial option to profit from a pandemic and have not posted discount codes.
On May 4, Shipwrecked star Big T posted her promo code to her 13,400 followers encouraging them all to use the centre to put their Covid fears to rest.
Shipwrecked’s Big T has been cashing in with a personalised code generating her £10 each time it’s used (Image: bigtfaz/Instagram)
Failing to mention the fact she was raking in cash each time her fans used her code, Tula, who also appeared on MTV’s The Challenge, wrote: “Last week I had a corona anti body test.
“I’m so glad I did it because my mind is at ease now. Last week the government missed their target by 50% because there weren’t enough corona test kits. They managed to test 50 thousand people.
“It’s so important that we all get tested. Check out @coronatestcentre or head to www.coronatestcentre.com and use my code BIGT10 for get 10% off your appointment. If your following the news they are highlighting the importance of antiody testing! [sic]”
Tula has been contacted by Daily Star Online for comment.
Lewis Bloor has a discount code on his official Instagram bio
Meanwhile, The Only Way is Essex star Lewis Bloor also visited the centre and is encouraging his fans to use his code CHECK10 for 10% off.
Lewis has a link to the website Corna Test Centre in his Instagram bio which is followed by 324,000 people along with a code.
Lewis Bloor has been contacted for comment by Daily Star Online.
Model and star of West End hit Bat Out Of Hell Kellie Gnauck, who has 40,000 Instagram followers, also posted a video of her at the centre along with the caption: “We don’t have a vaccine yet but it’s so good for peace of mind to go get tested and see if you’ve had the virus and built up some immunity to it.
“Visit www.coronatestcentre.com To book an appointment and you can use my code: INTOTEST10 for 10% off when booking.”
Prior to publication a rep for Kellie Gnauck was connected by Daily Star Online for comment.
Model and West End babe Kellie Gnauck has refused to comment on the claims but has now deleted her post (Image: gnaucky /Instagram)
Whilst they have not replied to our request, the post has now been deleted.
Other stars who have visited the centre and posted about their trip online but decided not to push a discount code include Ex On The Beach star Rogan O’Connor, Shipwrecked’s Chris Jammer and S Club Juniors member turned professional dancer Aaron Renfree.
Jack Whitehall’s girlfriend Roxy Horner also visited the clinic earlier this month and is used as a promo girl for the tests.
The starlet boasts 168,000 Instagram followers and reported to be worth over $1 million.
A rep for Roxy has been contact by Daily Star Online to clarify if she paid for the test.
Jack Whitehall’s girlfriend Roxy Hunter poses at the centre (Image: coronatestcentre/Instagram)
One PR guru who looks after a range of well known UK stars is actively encouraging their clients to swerve the deal branding it ‘morally wrong’ to cash in on a pandemic with a pay per use discount code.
The publicist who asked not to be named by Daily Star Online said: “Corona Test Centre was brought to my attention by a couple of clients who has seen the offer on an app which offers celebrity’s services and products for discounted for for free.
“They were told they could get a test for half price and if they could get people to go for a test on their discount code they could get £10 per person into their bank.
“I strongly advised all my clients against it as it is morally wrong to be making money of the back of anyone wanting medical help or advise, especially in the current pandemic.
“I think it’s disgusting. I would advise all of my clients and peers to stay away from it.”
When contacted by Daily Star Online, co-Founder of the Corona Test Centre Lucas Foertsch said: “We are using unpaid organic influencers as part of a wider marketing strategy.
“All influencers must make a donation to our just giving page to receive their test and we will be donating this to the NHS.
“Our centre offers free test to the NHS every Thursday, and last week we tested 120 NHS staff for free. By having paying customers we are able to afford to donate these large number of tests weekly to our NHS heroes on the frontline.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
