Deepfake AI avatars impersonate doctors to promote fake medical treatments on TikTok
Researchers at ESET discovered a campaign on TikTok and Instagram in Latin America where AI-generated deepfake avatars impersonated health professionals to fraudulently promote supplements and fake medical treatments. The campaign included over 20 accounts that used legitimate AI avatar tools to create convincing videos recommending unproven or unapproved products, sometimes falsely claiming them as alternatives to approved medications.
What happened
Researchers from ESET detected a campaign on TikTok and Instagram in Latin America where AI-generated avatars impersonated gynecologists, dietitians and other health professionals to promote supplements and wellness products.
Each video followed a similar pattern: an avatar positioned in a screen corner offered health or beauty advice in a style claiming scientific authority, primarily recommending 'natural' treatments while guiding viewers toward specific products for sale.
In one case, a fake doctor advertised a 'natural extract' as a superior alternative to Ozempic for weight loss, with the video promising dramatic results and directing to an Amazon page where the product was listed merely as 'relaxation drops' or 'swelling aids' with no connection to the advertised benefits. Other videos promoted unapproved medicines or false treatments for serious diseases, sometimes using manipulated images or videos of real doctors.
Reported impact
The convincing and well-produced videos misled unsuspecting users into potentially controversial and dangerous purchases.
ESET identified over 20 accounts on TikTok and Instagram using fake doctors to promote products, raising concerns about the widespread deployment of deepfake technology for commercial fraud on social media platforms.
Index analysis
AI avatar generation tools, designed as legitimate marketing instruments, were repurposed to distribute misleading claims and defraud the public by impersonating credible medical authorities.
The campaign exploited public trust in the medical profession to increase sales through tactics described as both unethical and effective.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.