A familiar face can make an unfamiliar offer feel trustworthy. That is exactly why scammers borrow celebrities’ names, images and voices.
Why fake endorsements work
People recognize a performer, athlete or television personality and transfer some of that familiarity to the product. Modern editing and AI tools can create convincing photos, video and audio. An ad can look like a news interview, a social post or a television clip even when the celebrity never participated.
The FTC has warned that fake celebrity endorsements are used to sell products and lure people to scam sites. The technology may be new, but the pressure tactics are familiar: dramatic results, a secret discovery, limited supplies and a link that must be clicked immediately.
Verify outside the advertisement
1. Find the original account
Do not use the ad’s link. Navigate separately to the celebrity’s verified website or official social accounts. Look for the exact endorsement, not a vaguely similar post.
2. Search the claim
Search the person’s name, product name and words such as “endorsement,” “scam” or “review.” Check whether reliable reporting or the celebrity’s representatives have addressed it.
3. Inspect the destination
Misspelled domains, copied news layouts, an unfamiliar checkout and missing contact information are warning signs. A logo from a known network or magazine does not prove the page belongs to that publisher.
Watch for manipulation—not only visual flaws
Deepfakes will not always have obvious glitches. Focus on the offer’s behavior: guaranteed results, enormous returns, miracle health claims, fake countdown timers or demands for unusual payment methods. A real celebrity appearance would not make those claims safe.
If you clicked or paid
Contact the payment provider quickly, change any reused password and enable multifactor authentication. If you entered card details on a suspicious site, monitor the account and ask the issuer about replacing the card. Report deceptive ads or fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the platform where the ad appeared.
Sources
This is an original AskNovus guide based on the sources listed above. Image credit: Tri Vo via Unsplash.