A network of companies based in Lithuania, Spain, Hong Kong and mainland China is behind a wave of online scams selling so-called "miracle" portable air conditioners to consumers across Europe, according to investigations by French newspaper Le Monde and consumer watchdogs.
The schemes have flourished during this summer's heatwaves, with advertisements promoting brands such as Airabreeze, Coolizi, Epicooler, Polar Breeze and BreezaMax.
The products are marketed as low-cost air conditioners capable of cooling an entire room while using very little electricity, often claiming to have been designed by engineers or backed by thousands of satisfied customers.
Many buyers, however, report receiving what they describe as ordinary fans or evaporative air coolers that provide little cooling. Others say their orders never arrived or that they struggled to obtain refunds.
According to Le Monde, France's consumer protection authority has received around 700 reports related to air conditioner sales since the beginning of June.
Le Monde traced one of the main networks to Lithuanian e-commerce company CommerceCore, formerly known as WhaMedia, and advertising firm Domexus.
The investigation found the companies operated numerous online stores selling low-cost products imported from Asia under invented brand names, supported by aggressive online advertising. CommerceCore reportedly generated around €120 million in revenue in 2025 before rebranding as Bold.One earlier this year.
A second network selling brands including Polar Breeze and BreezaMax was linked to Spanish company Widitrade, which said through its lawyers that it only provides e-commerce infrastructure and does not own or sell the products advertised.
Investigators also connected the Coolizi brand to Hong Kong-registered companies Dedata International and Cola Technology International, while technical evidence pointed to links with Chinese marketing company Surmobi, which operates from Hong Kong and mainland China.
The investigations found that many of the websites reused nearly identical promotional articles, fake customer reviews and fabricated endorsements, changing only the product name.
Consumer experts warn that genuine air conditioners require refrigeration systems and a way to expel heat outdoors, meaning devices claiming to cool an entire room without an exhaust hose cannot perform as advertised.
This summer, Europe has endured one of its most extreme and prolonged heatwaves on record, with temperatures shattering historical highs across multiple countries. France, Spain and Italy saw daytime highs exceeding 45°C, while parts of Germany and the UK experienced unprecedented early-summer spikes.
Read more:
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington is not seeking an extension of its memorandum of understanding with...
Iran says it will use all diplomatic and legal channels to determine the fate of three Air Force pilots it believes are being held in Qatar after t...
Nearly a week after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, hopes of finding more survivors are fading as rescue teams search ...
At least 11 people were killed in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday, among the deadliest since a June ceasefire. Meanwhile, Qatar denied holding Iranian pilots. It said it had found the remains of one pilot after an airspace violation and had contacted Iran to coordinate a handover.
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington is not seeking an extension of its memorandum of understanding with Iran, claiming the U.S. already controls the Strait of Hormuz through its naval blockade.
A wildfire in Croatia driven by strong winds descended on the tourist town of Omis overnight, engulfing houses, forcing about 1,000 people to evacuate to safety and injuring dozens, fire brigade and health officials said on Friday.
South Korea's presidential Blue House said on Monday it was reviewing U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on scaling back joint military drills. It added that it hoped a favourable relationship between Washington and Pyongyang could lead to meaningful talks.
Residents of villages in eastern Indonesia hit by a deadly earthquake that killed at least 54 people were awaiting aid on Monday as rescuers prepared to comb through collapsed buildings in search of people trapped beneath the rubble.
Nearly a week after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, hopes of finding more survivors are fading as rescue teams search collapsed buildings and communities confront widespread destruction.
Central Asia has become a major focus for Eurasian transport investment, with $71.7 billion committed to 114 projects, according to the Eurasian Development Bank’s 2026 Transport Observatory.
The European Union is preparing what foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has described as its most far-reaching sanctions package against Russia since the war in Ukraine began.
Weeks after thousands of students protested in New Delhi over alleged failures in India’s examination system, the so-called Cockroach movement is taking its campaign to the grassroots, launching audits of state-run schools.
UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany visited Ukraine for the first time since taking office, meeting Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha in Kyiv on 15 August to discuss protecting the country’s cultural heritage amid continued Russian attacks.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment