Scammers create AI version of Judy Mowatt to promote fake medication

Internationally acclaimed singer Judy Mowatt is completely distancing herself from an online advertisement in which she appears to be endorsing a drug used for hypertension, and is begging persons not to fall prey to it as it is a scam powered by artificial intelligence (AI).

In the video, Mowatt, who found fame as a member of Bob Marley’s iconic I-Three and subsequently launched her successful solo career, is seen talking about the non-existent wonder drug which she uses to treat her high blood pressure. It gets worse. The AI-generated Mowatt proceeds to namecheck prominent gynaecologist and obstetrician Michael Abrahams and hail him as the doctor who prescribed the medication for her.

An AI-generated version of Abrahams, posing as a doctor who has “been studying heart and vascular problems for 14 years now”, is the main character in the video promoting the drug. Abrahams has since gone public in denouncing the advert as a outright scam, and in an interview with Entertainment Report’s Anthony Miller, he explained that he has contracted a company to seek out the perpetrators.

“It is all fake,” a perturbed Mowatt told The Gleaner. “I was shocked when I saw it ... my bishop sent me the video. I cannot explain how frightened I was. I recognised the outfit I was wearing from a recent interview that I did, and I could see that the lips and the words were not synchronising. It was frightening.”

Mowatt, to put things in some kind of perspective, said that she has never had hypertension. In fact, she has always had low blood pressure. She shared that the only time her pressure went up was when she was hospitalised recently and in severe pain.

DETAILS OF THE AD

In the advertisement, which notes that this is “20 years later”, Mowatt states, “At 52, I was diagnosed with hypertension. The main problem of my illness is that there were no medicines in the pharmacy that could help me. It was Dr Michael Abrahams; he was able to give me a clear diagnosis.”

Mowatt, who is a humanitarian and has supported numerous worthy causes through her Judy Mowatt Outreach Ministries, is alarmed that her reputation has been put on the line in such a treacherous manner.

“When people see an advert like this with me, they will believe it. All my life doing music and singing ... and everything... it has been for the love of my people. For me, who is known as somebody who is caring about humanity, for somebody to do this to me is really cruel. And there seems to be no protection against this sort of thing,” the Black Woman singer lamented.

Her main concern, however, is that people will be ripped off by the cybercriminals, and that already seems to be happening.

In his ER interview, Dr Abrahams told host Miller that someone who “knows him well” saw the advertisement and decided to buy the product for her mother. She went online to purchase one bottle, which costs US$39.99. However, more than US$200 was taken off her card, as she was charged for five bottles of the product. She is yet to receive the medication, as the product does not exist.

Mowatt, who is in the midst of preparation to host a health fair on July 27 in Rural Hill in Portland, had to take time out to deal with this matter. In addition to reporting it to the relevant authorities, she also made a video which is currently posted to YouTube.

“You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free,” the video starts.

“I am completely shocked that there is a product being advertised on social media with my image and my likeness. The voice may sound like mine, but it is absolutely not my voice. I have never ever suffered from high blood pressure. My doctors, my family can attest to it that my pressure was always low. So, if you have any intention of purchasing this product, I am begging you from the depths of my heart, don’t do it. I know nothing about this product. God is my witness,” Mowatt says in the video which she created.

Mowatt shared that this experience has heightened her awareness and has made her wonder if incidents such as this will become “the new normal”. She urged everybody to “be on their guard”.

yasmine.peru@gleanerjm.com