05/06/2025
‼️ ALERT‼️
Please be aware that there is a scam currently appearing on social media platforms relating to diabetes medication. Images and video footage of Professor Rinki Murphy, a diabetes expert at Health NZ and Professor of Medicine at University of Auckland, are being used on social media to promote fake products. The material is sufficiently convincing for dozens of people to have contacted Professor Murphy, saying they have stopped taking their regular medication and sent money for various products to cure diabetes or to lose weight. This type of health scam, which is becoming increasingly common, uses artificial intelligence to create deepfake videos of doctors, especially those who also do research. The doctor’s reputation is used to deceive and persuade people into buying scam products online.
Some of the videos say things like “buy this 5 second method”, “take this cure for 27 days” or “these pills are NOT sold in pharmacies” or “Click here to find out more” – phrases like these are red flags.
If you are aware of people who have been harmed or lost money in this way, please report the scam to NZ Police.