Doctored photo of Filipino doctor shared in scam posts touting 'weight loss snacks'

This article is more than one year old.
Published on September 30, 2022 at 06:34
4 min read
By Lucille SODIPE, AFP Philippines

Photos that appear to show a Filipino doctor endorsing brands of cereals and mixed nuts have been repeatedly shared in Facebook posts that claim the snacks are effective for weight loss. But the posts are a "scam" according to the doctor, whose photo has been doctored to make it seem as though she endorsed the products. A Filipino nutrition expert told AFP that people hoping to lose weight should adopt a healthy diet and lifestyle rather than consuming specific products.

A photo of Josephine Rojo, a doctor at a public hospital in the central Philippine city of Bacolod, appears to show her endorsing a brand of cereal called "MEZHOUSHIKE".

The post -- published on a Facebook page on September 9 that bears Rojo's name and image -- states in part: "Last month, I have (sic) the chance to attend a health and nutrition seminar in Japan.

"The Japan Nutrition Research Institute has introduced special cereal products for people who are on a diet.

"Research shows that many people regain their slimmer figure and improve their health after eating this cereal for a time. Indeed a perfect product."

The post includes a link to an online shop where people can apparently purchase the product.

Screenshot of false post taken on September 24, 2022

Another photo that appears to show Rojo promoting "Go Farm Super Meal mixed nuts" was shared on a Facebook page that also bears her name, as shown below:

Screenshot of misleading post taken on September 24, 2022

Similar posts were shared on Facebook here and here.

Comments from some users indicated they believed the snacks were endorsed by Rojo.

"How much is this, Doc?" one asked.

"Is this low carb and sugar-free?" another said.

However, multiple keyword searches on the Philippine Food and Drug Administration's website found no such product has been approved for consumption in the Philippines as of September 30.

AFP also found no evidence that the "Japan Nutrition Research Institute" exists.

Scam posts

On September 12, Rojo denied endorsing the products in a post on her real Facebook page, which has more than 900,000 followers.

"Don't be scammed by FAKE ACCOUNTS that use my image and name," she wrote in part. "I promote eating REAL FOODS like eggs, meat, fish, vegetables."

The Facebook pages that shared her fabricated endorsements -- which only have hundreds of followers -- were created in June and August.

A closer look at their history found their page names were updated to use Rojo's name in September, as shown below:

Screenshots of the imposter Facebook pages, which show their names were changed in September 2022

Doctored photos

A combination of keyword and reverse image searches found the original photo of Rojo, in which she is holding a waffle, was published on her Instagram account on January 13.

The photo corresponds to a video streamed live on YouTube the same day titled "Low-Carb Baking Do's and Don'ts".

Below are screenshot comparisons of the doctored photos (left) and the original photo (right):

Healthy diet

Responding to the false posts, Kenneth Mendoza, a researcher at the government's Food and Nutrition Research Institute, told AFP: "While cereals and mixed nuts may contain dietary fiber and other minerals, there is no single food that can promote better health.

"What we advise is to eat a variety of foods and have lifestyle modifications to promote better health. Proper diet according to an individual's age, sex, and/or physiological requirements and being physically active can help promote better health."

AFP has previously debunked fabricated medical product endorsements by Filipino doctors here, here and here.

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