Zapped! Hoax Reveals Suntan Dangers

LONDON, May 11, 2009 — -- At least 1.5 million people around the world have been hoaxed in a new campaign about the dangers of spending time in the sun.

Hundreds of thousands of Internet users in search of the perfect tan logged on to the Web site, http://www.computertan.com after an advertising campaign promised them the chance to get their tans topped up while sitting at their desk, thanks to "revolutionary new technology."

McCann Erickson and U.K. skin cancer charity Skcin launched "a fake company called ComputerTan" and then designed an elaborate Web site to draw the attention of Internet users, McCann Erickson New Business Director Simon Hill told ABC News.

When users click on the site, they are first directed to an infomercial fronted by a fictional spokesperson, "TV Presenter Hannah Yasmin," who offers them a free trial of the Tan-tastic service. All they need to do is cozy up to their screen, literally, as the site promises them a dose of ultraviolet light "encouraging the production of vitamin D and creating a deeper, longer-lasting natural tan" if they look closely at the screen.

As the screen fills up with images of UV tanning tubes, users are suddenly confronted with graphic photographs of skin cancers, a link to Skcin's Web site and the message, "Don't be fooled, UV exposure can kill."

Hill told ABC News that the campaign "was designed to engage those most at risk of developing skin disease and those most difficult to reach via conventional advertising. The fact that so many people fell for the ComputerTan hoax demonstrates the frightening truth that getting a tan – regardless of the risk – is still appealing for many people."

Richard Clifford, one of the founders of Skcin, added, "we want to educate the young, there is a pandemic of young people using sunbeds – we want to regulate the use of sun beds."

"The U.K. government spends £75m ($113.3m) annually on the treatment of skin cancer, they need to shift the emphasis to prevention – I mean, this is a wholly preventable disease," Clifford said.