Begin with a powerful truth: In the digital age, where villains lurk behind screens, even beloved celebrities like Magda Szubanski are vulnerable to deceptive schemes. And this is the part most people miss—scammers exploit trust and fame to deceive well-meaning supporters. Recently, the renowned comedienne and national treasure Magda Szubanski issued a clear warning about the dangers of fake online fundraising initiatives and false health updates falsely attributed to her. But here’s where it gets controversial: how much do we really know about the authenticity of the information we see online, especially when it involves public figures?
On a Saturday afternoon, Szubanski took to her Instagram platform to clarify fact from fiction. Several images circulating on social media had falsely claimed to show her health updates—images that are believed to have been generated by artificial intelligence technology. She strongly emphasized that these images are not genuine and urged her followers to be cautious.
"Hello, everyone. Just so you know, this lady—whoever she is—is definitely not me," Szubanski wrote poignantly. "I hope she's doing well, but please remember, I am not behind those images, and I CAN’T STRESS ENOUGH—do not send money or donations to any medical fundraiser that claims to be supporting me unless it’s from my official channels. It's a scam. If you want the real updates, you’ll find me right here on my verified social media pages."
This warning came hot on the heels of Szubanski’s brave revelation in May last year about her battle with stage four Mantle Cell Lymphoma—a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer. She shared her diagnosis publicly to raise awareness and inspire others facing similar health struggles. Currently, she is undergoing treatment in Melbourne using The Nordic Protocol, a treatment plan that combines chemotherapy with immunotherapy to attack her cancer.
Over the past few days, disturbing AI-generated images and fake news stories have flooded platforms like Facebook and others, falsely claiming to update fans on her health. For example, one post from January 15 on a Facebook page called Celebrity Buzz Today falsely claimed she had shared an emotional update after hospital support from thousands of fans, saying, “Magda Szubanski finally shared a new update on her health today.” These stories are entirely fabricated and aim to deceive.
Szubanski has not shared any personal health updates since August of the previous year. Her last authentic communication was a heartfelt video from her hospital bed, where she expressed gratitude to a young fan for lifting her spirits—acknowledging that chemotherapy was quite challenging.
In her recent Instagram message, Szubanski reassured everyone that all legitimate, current updates about her health are available only through her verified social media accounts. She issued a stark warning: any information or news outside her official channels is purely “scam” material designed to mislead and potentially cause harm.
As always, Australians are encouraged to report such scams to ScamWatch to help protect themselves and others. The rise of AI-generated misinformation raises an important question: How can we better differentiate between genuine updates and clever digital deception? Would you trust all online health updates from a celebrity? Or do you think skepticism is the safest approach? Share your thoughts below—because when it comes to trust in the digital world, your opinion truly matters.
