TikTok has removed a series of misleading AI-generated advertisements promoting prescription-only weight loss drugs, which falsely claimed to be from the UK health and beauty retailer Boots. The removal comes after Boots lodged a formal complaint, highlighting the dangers of fraudulent advertising and the misuse of AI technology on social media platforms.

Fake Boots Account Promoting Weight Loss Drugs

The adverts featured smiling healthcare professionals, allegedly from Boots, demonstrating dramatic weight loss after using prescription-only medications. In reality, the videos were entirely AI-generated, making them illegal to advertise to the public. The fake Boots account, apparently based in Hong Kong, initially posted multiple videos linking to a website that sold these drugs, complete with fabricated testimonials from “doctors” and customers.

A Boots spokesperson confirmed the company had alerted TikTok about the fraudulent content and stated that all official Boots advertising is run exclusively through the verified @BootsUK account.

TikTok’s Response to Misleading AI Content

A TikTok spokesperson emphasized that the platform does not allow “harmful or misleading AI-generated ads”, nor does it permit the depiction, promotion, or trade of controlled substances. After the fake account re-uploaded removed videos, TikTok deleted the user entirely following further reports.

Despite the removal, the incident exposed how AI technology can be exploited to create highly convincing scams, impersonating real brands or healthcare professionals. Sam Gregory, an AI expert, told the BBC:

“AI now makes it trivially easy to generate a convincing series of videos or images showing an apparent change in a plausibly real generic health professional, or to impersonate specific health professionals wholesale.”

Health Risks and Legal Concerns

The weight loss drugs featured in the ads are prescription-only in the UK. They have been available on the NHS in England since June 2025, but patients must meet strict medical criteria to obtain them. Any medication purchased outside a registered pharmacy carries serious health risks, as the contents cannot be verified.

The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) warned the public that purchasing weight loss drugs from unofficial sources is unsafe and may involve counterfeit or harmful products.

Implications for Social Media Platforms

This case underscores the challenges social media platforms face in detecting and removing AI-generated scams, particularly when they impersonate trusted brands. Platforms must act quickly and comprehensively to prevent the spread of fraudulent content, particularly when it involves health and safety risks.

Boots and other major brands are prioritized in takedown requests, but experts caution that individual consumers remain vulnerable to similar scams if detection systems are not robust. The incident highlights the need for continued regulation, public awareness, and AI content monitoring to protect social media users from potentially dangerous online misinformation.

Advice for Users

• Only obtain prescription medications from registered pharmacies with a valid prescription.
• Verify the official social media handles of brands before engaging with their content.
• Report any suspicious or misleading advertisements on platforms like TikTok.

As AI-generated content becomes increasingly realistic, incidents like the fake Boots weight loss ads illustrate the urgent need for digital literacy, strong platform moderation, and regulatory oversight.