Browsing TikTok for health advice can be a trap. In recent weeks, VerificaRTV and Maldita.es have exposed a network of profiles using artificial intelligence to simulate impossible physical transformations . These are avatars, not real people, but they post videos showing before-and-after weight loss that never actually happened. Most worryingly, these accounts not only deceive their followers but also profit by selling paid guides and apps.
The investigation, conducted by RTVE's fact-checking team and the independent platform Maldita.es, agrees on one key point: the accounts never disclose that their content is AI-generated , something explicitly required by TikTok's policy. Taking advantage of this loophole, the creators of these avatars respond to users' comments as if they were real people, gaining their trust and encouraging them to follow advice that can be very dangerous.
How to detect these fake profiles
The journalists involved explain that they stumbled upon these profiles almost by chance while browsing the social network. The first thing that caught their attention was the repetition of patterns: the videos always showed the same poses, the same settings, and an identical aesthetic , with only some furniture or clothing changing. When they ran the content through AI detection tools, the result was conclusive: more than a 90% probability that they were artificially created.
An additional clue came from an American content creator who reported on her own account that several of these avatars had used her original videos to recreate scenes and movements . In other words, they not only invent a reality, but also appropriate other people's work to lend more credibility to the deception. In all cases, the profiles focus on the same message: the need to follow a specific diet, abstain from alcohol, exercise excessively, and read a certain number of pages of self-help books, all within the framework of a popular 75-day challenge.
A business that plays with health
Behind these accounts lies a clear financial motive. The supposed protagonists sell their own weight-loss guides and promote paid apps for access to personalized diets . However, dietitians and nutritionists consulted by the investigating bodies assert that it is highly likely no healthcare professional is behind these materials, which can lead to unhealthy behaviors that are difficult to maintain in the long term. The promise of becoming the “perfect girl” in 75 days is, at the very least, unrealistic.
Psychologists also warn of the emotional impact. Seeing these women—who don't exist—supposedly achieve a dream body generates frustration and anxiety in their followers , especially since there's no warning that the content is fabricated. People compare their own reality to an idealized fiction and think that if they don't achieve the same, it's their fault, when in reality, there has never been a real possibility of achieving it. This feeling of failure can lead to eating disorders or an obsession with exercise and food.
TikTok's response and recommendations
When asked about these investigations, TikTok confirmed that they have already closed several of these accounts for violating community guidelines . However, both VerificaRTV and Maldita.es warn that this is a recurring phenomenon: even if profiles are deleted, new ones appear with the same objectives and strategies. Therefore, they emphasize the need for users to exercise extreme caution and not believe everything they see on social media.
Among the experts' recommendations, they emphasize the importance of verifying the source before following health advice, being wary of promises that seem too good to be true, and checking if the profile is verified or has any warnings about AI-generated content . They also remind users that platforms should implement stronger measures to prevent these types of scams from continuing to spread.
In short, the phenomenon of AI avatars promising cosmetic miracles is a reality affecting thousands of people, especially young women. Fact-checking organizations have shown that even when accounts are shut down, the problem persists. The only way to protect ourselves is through information and critical thinking about any content that attempts to change our perception of our bodies and health.