A sponsored video circulating on Facebook (FB) shows Dr. Kilimanguru, a Filipino physician with a huge social media following, endorsing a heart medicine. It is a fraudulent ad.
The scam used a February 2023 clip of the doctor, whose real name is Kilimanjaro Tiwaquen, and added an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated audio clip of his voice to sell the product.
Posted on Oct. 15, the scam showed the original video of Tiwaquen initially explaining a heart condition called cardiomegaly, and was followed by an audio clip of “him” saying:
“….At sabayan mo na din ang pag-inom ng gamot na Vascuhealth. Ang gamot na ito ay makakatulong para mapababa at maibalik sa normal ang iyong blood pressure. Nakakatulong din ito sa mga taong may sakit sa puso tulad ng lumalaki ang puso, barado ang ugat sa puso, irregular heartbeat, may butas sa puso, at laging nagpapalpitate
(…And also take Vascuhealth. This medication can help lower and normalize your blood pressure. It is also helpful for people with heart conditions such as an enlarged heart, clogged arteries, irregular heartbeat, heart defects, and frequent palpitations).”
Tiwaquen did not endorse the product. The audio clip was not included in his original video. AI appears to have been used to make the voice sound like his.
Additionally, Vascuhealth is not a drug or food product registered with the Food and Drug Administration. The ad claimed that it is.
Tiwaquen has issued several advisories on his social media pages cautioning the public against fake ads that use his name. He said the only products he endorses are those on his official social media accounts. He has never mentioned Vascuhealth.
In April, VERA Files fact checked a fake video that made it look like cardiologist Willie Ong endorsed the same heart medicine. The video was also AI-manipulated.
The fake ad posted by the FB page Health Tips – Health & Wellness (created on June 13) garnered over 2,100 reactions, 273 comments, and 297,000 views.
