Magda Szubanski has issued a warning after getting wind of scam posts posing as her and requesting money amid her ongoing cancer battle.
Szubanski — who shared news of her diagnosis last May — took to Instagram over the weekend to call out the scamming medical fundraisers that used AI-generated images of her in a hospital bed to solicit cash.
“This lovely lady — whoever she is — is not me,” Szubanski wrote alongside a screenshot of the circulating posts.
“I hope she’s doing well, but please don’t think it’s me and DEFINITELY DO NOT DONATE MONEY TO ANY MEDICAL FUNDRAISER THAT PURPORTS TO BE ME,” she added.
The Kath & Kim star reminded fans they “can always find” her on Instagram and reiterated that the fundraiser is “a scam”.
The posts in question were shared earlier this month on scam Facebook pages like Celebrity Buzz Today, with the AI image of Szubanski seen next to a caption implying she was asking for money during her cancer treatment journey.
Some users clocked the use of AI, however many others shared what seemed to be genuine messages of support in the comment section.
Prior to the scam alert, Szubanski shared a health update during her chemotherapy struggles, and appeared for a video message when she was named a Logies Hall of Fame inductee last August.
It’s not the first time the actress’ health battle, which she revealed as a rare form of blood cancer called Mantle Cell Lymphoma., has been exploited for nefarious purposes.
Last June, she was forced to issue a statement after a wave of conspiracy theorists linked her diagnosis to the COVID-19 vaccine, since she was involved in a vaccine PSA during the pandemic.
“I won’t ignore incorrect information intended to warp the narrative and the truth,” Szubanski wrote at the time.
Thankfully, the well-wishes have far outweighed all the other noise, and nothing can break the spirit of the lady behind star netballer Sharon Strzelecki.
Lead images: Instagram
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