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Boots AI Ad Scam Exposed on TikTok
23 Dec
Summary
- Fake adverts for weight loss drugs impersonated Boots using AI.
- Prescription-only drug advertising is illegal to the public.
- TikTok removed fake adverts but the account remained active.
Fake advertisements featuring AI-generated content, falsely appearing to be from the health and beauty retailer Boots, have been removed from TikTok. These misleading adverts promoted prescription-only weight loss drugs, a practice illegal for direct public advertising in the UK. The company behind the scam created videos mimicking healthcare professionals to endorse the drugs, linking to a website where they could be purchased.
Boots alerted TikTok to the fraudulent adverts, prompting their removal. However, the account, reportedly based in Hong Kong, was initially not deleted, and the same videos were re-uploaded. This highlights the ongoing challenge platforms face in detecting and swiftly removing AI-generated deceptive content. The situation was only resolved after TikTok was notified again, leading to the account's deletion.
AI experts note the increasing ease of creating convincing fake health professional endorsements. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the UK emphasized that weight loss medicines should only be obtained via prescription from registered pharmacies. Sourcing them elsewhere carries significant health risks due to unverified contents.
