Spain’s beloved star caught up in AI deepfake health scam, warning, don’t be fooled

Antonio Banderas has become the latest celebrity swept into a wave of artificial intelligence fraud, after scammers doctored old footage to make it appear he was endorsing a “miracle” prostate remedy.

Zero connection to the product

Circulating across social media over recent days, the clip splices fabricated audio onto a genuine recording of the 66-year-old Malaga-born actor, syncing his lips to a script he never spoke. In it, “Banderas” claims a supplement made from natural ingredients can shrink prostate inflammation and ease bladder trouble. He has no connection to the product, never agreed to promote it, and hasn’t received a single cent from the campaign built on his likeness.

Fraudsters took things a step further and didn’t only borrow Banderas’ face. Dr Jose Luis Marin also appears in the advert, seemingly backing the product’s claims. His footage comes from an unrelated video filmed in December, with a mismatch between his words and lip movements giving the game away. Adding to the irony, Marin specialises in psychiatry rather than urology, leaving him with little real expertise to offer on the subject.

Where the video takes you

Watching the full clip shows the operation’s full intent. It is designed to funnel viewers towards a purchase page, following a pattern typical of scam advertising rather than genuine health content, made to initially look like a straightforward celebrity endorsement. Given that identity theft of this kind constitutes a criminal offence in Spain, the campaign has already been formally reported to authorities, and legal action against those behind it is expected to follow.

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Fake celebrity endorsements built from cloned voices and faces have become an increasingly common tactic for pushing dubious health products online. Similar scams have used footage of genuine doctors to push supplements and weight-loss alternatives they never touched. A Beverly Hills dermatologist recently discovered his own likeness had been hijacked to sell a cream, describing the footage as disturbingly realistic and admitting some of his own patients were fooled into buying it.

How to spot a fake before it costs you

Recognising manipulated footage isn’t always that easy, but a few clues help: unnatural skin texture, inconsistencies between clips, oddly shaped features, and flat, robotic voices lacking natural fluctuation. Treating any celebrity-fronted “miracle cure” with scepticism is the safest approach, particularly when it promises fast results for sensitive health conditions.

Banderas hasn’t commented publicly. Anyone who bought the product or shared personal details after watching the clip should contact their bank and keep an eye on their accounts for suspicious activity.