IS Elon Musk's new brain fog remedy advertised on Fox News a scam ?
Executive summary
The advertisements claiming that Elon Musk is backing a new “brain fog” remedy pushed via what appears to be Fox News-style pages are almost certainly part of a scam campaign that uses AI-manipulated video and fake news formatting to sell unproven supplements, and there is no credible evidence that Musk endorsed such remedies in authentic Fox News segments [1] [2] [3]. Regulators and fact‑checkers have repeatedly documented nearly identical schemes that digitally alter Musk footage and spoof mainstream outlets to hawk bogus health products, and the record of these campaigns — coupled with past FTC actions against bogus cognitive‑enhancement sellers — means the claim should be treated as fraudulent unless primary, verifiable evidence appears [2] [4] [1].
1. Scammers are already using Elon Musk’s likeness and Fox News branding to sell fake cures
Investigations and reporting show a recurring pattern: scam advertisers create AI‑manipulated videos of Musk and open with apparently authentic Fox News personalities, then redirect viewers to counterfeit “news” pages that host manufactured testimonials and sales funnels for supplements claiming miraculous health effects — a formula reported across Engadget, PolitiFact and the Times of India [1] [2] [3].
2. Fact‑checkers have identified specific deepfakes that falsely show Musk endorsing diabetes or anti‑aging “tricks”
PolitiFact documented a fabricated Facebook video that repurposed Musk’s Joe Rogan podcast footage to make it appear he pitched a diabetes treatment and linked to a fake Fox News page full of AI‑generated testimonials; PolitiFact rated the claim false and traced the manipulation back to edited footage and spoofed web pages [2]. Earlier fact‑checks found other altered clips falsely showing Musk endorsing an anti‑aging remedy, establishing a documented history of this tactic [5].
3. The mechanics of the scam match known red flags for fraudulent health ads
Reporting describes consistent red flags: the use of deepfakes or AI‑manipulated snippets, fake mainstream site layouts, dramatized “big pharma is hiding this” narratives, and calls to purchase supplements — identical playbooks to past fraudulent campaigns that regulators have targeted [1] [3] [4]. The FTC has cited companies that invented celebrity endorsements (naming Musk among others) to sell “cognitive enhancement” supplements, settling enforcement actions where firms had no evidence for their performance claims [4].
4. Platforms and Musk’s own media ecosystem make this misinformation easier to amplify
Scholars and watchdogs note that Musk’s social platforms and broader media ecosystem have struggled with AI‑enabled misinformation and reduced moderation capacity, which increases the risk these kinds of spoofed ads spread widely before removal [6] [7]. Independent reporting on platform moderation and AI‑generated content shows systemic vulnerabilities that scammers exploit to seed fake endorsements [6] [7].
5. Counterarguments and the narrow limits of available evidence
It is true that Musk is involved in brain‑related technology through Neuralink and has publicly discussed memory techniques, but that corporate or personal research is not a validation of an off‑the‑shelf supplement being marketed on faux Fox News pages, and none of the sources provide evidence that Fox News ran an authentic segment in which Musk endorsed a marketed “brain fog” remedy [8] [9]. Reporting does not locate a verified Fox News broadcast or Fox News–hosted segment in which Musk promoted a purchasable remedy; the documented examples are counterfeit pages and altered clips [2] [1].
6. Bottom line: treat the ad as a scam until rigorous proof appears
Given the documented modus operandi — AI‑manipulated Musk clips, fake Fox News pages, redirect to sales pages, and prior FTC action against similar supplement schemes — the claim that “Elon Musk’s new brain fog remedy advertised on Fox News” is authentic should be treated as fraudulent absent verifiable primary evidence [1] [2] [4]. The burden of proof lies with anyone asserting an authentic Fox News endorsement: a real, timestamped Fox News segment or a direct statement from Musk or a legitimate product disclosure would be required, and no such evidence appears in the reporting provided [2] [3].