"This is defamation with a health risk"

Summary

Why is this warning issued?

This warning was added because it is based on a report from Watchlist Internet. It is intended to protect other users from this scam. The assessed risk is elevated.

How the scam works

• Criminals create AI videos in which the face and voice of well-known figures such as Eckart von Hirschhausen look deceptively real
• These videos are played as paid advertising on major platforms – according to the source, reaching around 30 million people in just four weeks
• The advertised 'miracle cures' often target people with serious concerns: obesity, diabetes, joint pain, ageing
• Behind the ads sit call centres with professional training materials and sales scripts that, according to the source, even mimic anamnesis interviews
• Affected individuals order and pay for products that may in reality be relabelled insulin injections, banned appetite suppressants (e.g. sibutramine), or uncontrolled hormone preparations
• Anyone who stops payment or asks critical questions is pressured and offered new deals to keep them going

How to recognise it

• You see a video in which a well-known figure such as Dr. Eckart von Hirschhausen promotes a miracle cure – this is almost always a deepfake
• The ad stirs up fear while promising an instant rescue, e.g. '20 kilos in three weeks' or 'cure diabetes overnight'
• The imprint lists fictitious names instead of a real address
• The URL of the page is unnecessarily long and cryptic
• It concerns supposed weight-loss injections, appetite suppressants or hormone preparations without clear quality control
• Supposedly 'limited' or 'exclusive' discounts that must be claimed immediately with one click
• Winning a prize without entering or a 'free' offer that requires you to hand over your data
• Upfront payment demanded for 'fees/taxes'

How to protect yourself

• Before you order anything: ask someone you trust – a doctor, a pharmacist, family – and read the imprint carefully
• Look up independent information on the product and the seller, for example from a consumer advice centre
• Agree a code word with your family to help identify suspicious calls and videos more easily
• If you have already paid: stop the payment immediately, inform your bank, and file a report with the police
• Talk about what happened – silence is the perpetrators' capital. You are not alone; even a doctor in the linked documentary experienced this
• Secure evidence: screenshots of the ad, the imprint, the URL, the order confirmation and all payment receipts

What you should never do

• Do not order or pay anything before you have spoken to a real person
• Do not stop taking any medically prescribed medication because of such an advertisement
• Do not be so ashamed that you keep the incident to yourself – that is exactly what the perpetrators rely on
• Do not spontaneously click on 'limited' discounts or countdown ads – instead, take the time to verify

Frequently asked questions

Comments

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Original source

Update history

• 15/09/2026Warning added from an official source