AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – That Facebook or Instagram Reel of Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson, Miranda Lambert, or Garth Brooks and Tisha Yearwood pitching weight loss gummies is a fake.
In a world where scammers thrive on deception, the latest trend involves exploiting AI-generated sponsored ads on social media platforms like Instagram.
The allure of quick weight loss, endorsed by country music sensation Luke Combs, has become the latest bait for unsuspecting consumers.
A sponsored Instagram Reel recently surfaced featuring what appeared to be Luke Combs promoting weight loss gummies.
However, upon closer inspection, it became evident that scammers had manipulated Combs’ image, replacing his voice and altering his mouth to create the illusion of his endorsement.
Combs purportedly boasted about shedding 46 pounds in just six weeks in the fraudulent ad, attributing his transformation to the weight loss gummies.
Adding another layer of deceit, the scammers made it sound like Combs received the gummies from fellow country music star Lainey Wilson.
The fraudulent ads gained significant traction on social media, prompting Wilson to take to Instagram to deny any association with the product. She warned her followers, stating, “Surprise. It ain’t true. People will do anything to make a dollar even if it is lies. Ain’t nobody sent me gummies.”
The process of creating these fake ads is alarmingly straightforward and cheap.
Scammers utilize free software widely available online to mimic Combs’ voice and manipulate his lip movements to synchronize with the fabricated endorsements.
Further exacerbating the issue, clicking on the ad redirects users to a website masquerading as a legitimate news source, USA Today, but is originating from China.
While Facebook has taken steps to label many of these ads as “false,” Meta, the parent company, has chosen to leave them up due to their sponsored status.
This decision raises concerns about the platform’s complicity in profiting from fraudulent activities. Consumers are advised to exercise caution when encountering advertisements on social media, particularly those featuring prominent celebrities.
The absence of such endorsements on traditional television platforms should serve as a red flag, signaling potential fraudulent intent behind these advertisements.
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