Description: A network of TikTok accounts reportedly used AI-generated and deepfake influencer personas to promote wellness and beauty products through alleged deceptive advertising. The accounts reportedly invented identities and personal testimonials while making unsubstantiated medical claims, including false assertions related to fertility and hair-growth treatments. Some personas were reportedly reused across multiple accounts with inconsistent backstories. The content purportedly targeted vulnerable users and linked to unverified products before the accounts were removed.
Editor Notes: Timeline note: This incident reflects an ongoing scam network active prior to March 2025. The incident date is set to 03/04/2025 based on the first published report documenting the activity. See also incident 1397.
Entities
View all entitiesAlleged: Deepfake technology developers , Synthetic audio generation technology developers and Generative AI developers developed an AI system deployed by Unknown TikTok account operators and Scammers, which harmed TikTok users , People seeking medical advice , General public , Epistemic integrity and Consumers of wellness and beauty products.
Alleged implicated AI systems: Unknown generative AI systems , TikTok , Deepfake technology and Synthetic audio generation technology
Incident Stats
Risk Subdomain
A further 23 subdomains create an accessible and understandable classification of hazards and harms associated with AI
4.3. Fraud, scams, and targeted manipulation
Risk Domain
The Domain Taxonomy of AI Risks classifies risks into seven AI risk domains: (1) Discrimination & toxicity, (2) Privacy & security, (3) Misinformation, (4) Malicious actors & misuse, (5) Human-computer interaction, (6) Socioeconomic & environmental harms, and (7) AI system safety, failures & limitations.
- Malicious Actors & Misuse
Entity
Which, if any, entity is presented as the main cause of the risk
Human
Timing
The stage in the AI lifecycle at which the risk is presented as occurring
Post-deployment
Intent
Whether the risk is presented as occurring as an expected or unexpected outcome from pursuing a goal
Intentional
Incident Reports
Reports Timeline
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UPDATE: (3/10/25): All of the accounts included within this piece appear to have been removed from TikTok since publication.
A swarm of apparent scammers on TikTok appear to be using deceptive advertising tactics and AI-generated media to s…
Variants
A "variant" is an AI incident similar to a known case—it has the same causes, harms, and AI system. Instead of listing it separately, we group it under the first reported incident. Unlike other incidents, variants do not need to have been reported outside the AIID. Learn more from the research paper.
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