Hamish Blake exposes dodgy product scam
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A shocking deepfake video featuring one of Australia's most well-known media personalities has highlighted an alarming new scam tactic and sparked urgent warnings for the public.
A concerning advertisement recently appeared on Instagram showing comedian and radio host Hamish Blake apparently endorsing dubious weight loss gummies.
In the video, an eerily realistic fake Blake touts the benefits of the product, claiming he lost over 12 kilos in just weeks.
While the technology used to create fake celebrity endorsement videos like this one is concerning, it unfortunately doesn't come as a huge surprise.
Deepfake technology uses artificial intelligence (AI) to digitally impose a person's likeness and voice onto video or audio content. With enough sample data, deepfakes can create scarily convincing fakes.
And Aussie star Hamish Blake, with his widespread media presence over two decades in radio and TV, provides plenty of voice samples for scammers to digitally replicate.
While this particular Instagram ad featuring Blake appears low budget, he fears the technology enabling deepfakes will only improve. And that should concern all of us.
'That's the scary thing,' Blake told 2GB radio host Ben Fordham, who was shocked after seeing the fake ad over the weekend.
'Two months ago, I saw an advertisement for gummies, and the website claimed that with the help of this product, you can lose weight by 12 kilos in four weeks,' the fake Blake said in the ad.
'After only two weeks, I had lost six kilos. At the end of the course, I had lost 13 kilos.'
Blake joked the scripting of the video was amusing, with the fake Blake claiming he's given the dubious product to all his loved ones.
'Not even just a few—all of them. Everyone I've ever met. The gardener is getting it. The guy who works two floors below me…Guess what, Bruce, you've got a pack,' he joked.
But while the horrible acting provides some comic relief, the underlying issue is no joke.
Fake celebrity endorsement scams are on the rise in Australia, with alarming potential consequences.
In 2023, Scamwatch received a significant number of celebrity scam reports, totalling 209,466 so far. What's concerning is that 10.5 per cent of these reports have resulted in financial losses for the victims.
The financial toll of these scams is already substantial, with over $367 million lost by victims. To put this into context, in the previous year, Australians collectively suffered a record-breaking $3.1 billion loss due to scams.
However, according to Catriona Lowe, the Deputy Chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the true cost of these scams goes beyond just the monetary value.
These scams also inflict emotional distress on the victims, their families, and businesses.
She said, 'As scammers become increasingly sophisticated in their tactics, it is clear a coordinated response across government, law enforcement, and the private sector is essential to combat scams more effectively.'
Although Scamwatch does not specifically track celebrity endorsement scams, it has received many reports related to online shopping scams (14,500 reports) and investment scams (5,800 reports).
Another recent example of this problem involves David 'Kochie' Koch, the former co-host of Sunrise and a well-known business personality. Scammers have frequently used his face to promote investment scams, prompting him to collaborate with authorities to combat this issue.
So, how do scammers manage to pull this off? According to Scamwatch, they select well-known and respected celebrities who enjoy public trust to execute their scams.
Then, they create fake profiles on social media platforms and even produce fictitious news articles about the impersonated celebrity. These fraudulent endorsements often revolve around entirely fabricated products, schemes, or investments.
The majority of reports received by Scamwatch from deceived Australians pertain to advertisements found on social media platforms like Google, Facebook, and X (Formerly known as Twitter).
Members, keep a watchful eye out there and don't fall for these scammers! Remember, always double-check celebrity endorsements with caution. If something seems fishy, it's better to play it safe.
We hope you found this article helpful and informative! Have you ever encountered sketchy celebrity ads on social media? Share your experiences with us and your fellow members. Let's look out for one another!
A concerning advertisement recently appeared on Instagram showing comedian and radio host Hamish Blake apparently endorsing dubious weight loss gummies.
In the video, an eerily realistic fake Blake touts the benefits of the product, claiming he lost over 12 kilos in just weeks.
While the technology used to create fake celebrity endorsement videos like this one is concerning, it unfortunately doesn't come as a huge surprise.
Deepfake technology uses artificial intelligence (AI) to digitally impose a person's likeness and voice onto video or audio content. With enough sample data, deepfakes can create scarily convincing fakes.
And Aussie star Hamish Blake, with his widespread media presence over two decades in radio and TV, provides plenty of voice samples for scammers to digitally replicate.
A video of Aussie star Hamish Blake doing the rounds on Instagram as an ad has prompted a warning from the comedian himself. Credit: Instagram.
While this particular Instagram ad featuring Blake appears low budget, he fears the technology enabling deepfakes will only improve. And that should concern all of us.
'That's the scary thing,' Blake told 2GB radio host Ben Fordham, who was shocked after seeing the fake ad over the weekend.
'Two months ago, I saw an advertisement for gummies, and the website claimed that with the help of this product, you can lose weight by 12 kilos in four weeks,' the fake Blake said in the ad.
'After only two weeks, I had lost six kilos. At the end of the course, I had lost 13 kilos.'
Blake joked the scripting of the video was amusing, with the fake Blake claiming he's given the dubious product to all his loved ones.
'Not even just a few—all of them. Everyone I've ever met. The gardener is getting it. The guy who works two floors below me…Guess what, Bruce, you've got a pack,' he joked.
But while the horrible acting provides some comic relief, the underlying issue is no joke.
Fake celebrity endorsement scams are on the rise in Australia, with alarming potential consequences.
In 2023, Scamwatch received a significant number of celebrity scam reports, totalling 209,466 so far. What's concerning is that 10.5 per cent of these reports have resulted in financial losses for the victims.
The financial toll of these scams is already substantial, with over $367 million lost by victims. To put this into context, in the previous year, Australians collectively suffered a record-breaking $3.1 billion loss due to scams.
However, according to Catriona Lowe, the Deputy Chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the true cost of these scams goes beyond just the monetary value.
These scams also inflict emotional distress on the victims, their families, and businesses.
She said, 'As scammers become increasingly sophisticated in their tactics, it is clear a coordinated response across government, law enforcement, and the private sector is essential to combat scams more effectively.'
Although Scamwatch does not specifically track celebrity endorsement scams, it has received many reports related to online shopping scams (14,500 reports) and investment scams (5,800 reports).
Another recent example of this problem involves David 'Kochie' Koch, the former co-host of Sunrise and a well-known business personality. Scammers have frequently used his face to promote investment scams, prompting him to collaborate with authorities to combat this issue.
So, how do scammers manage to pull this off? According to Scamwatch, they select well-known and respected celebrities who enjoy public trust to execute their scams.
Then, they create fake profiles on social media platforms and even produce fictitious news articles about the impersonated celebrity. These fraudulent endorsements often revolve around entirely fabricated products, schemes, or investments.
The majority of reports received by Scamwatch from deceived Australians pertain to advertisements found on social media platforms like Google, Facebook, and X (Formerly known as Twitter).
Members, keep a watchful eye out there and don't fall for these scammers! Remember, always double-check celebrity endorsements with caution. If something seems fishy, it's better to play it safe.
We hope you found this article helpful and informative! Have you ever encountered sketchy celebrity ads on social media? Share your experiences with us and your fellow members. Let's look out for one another!
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