Strictly’s 20th anniversary series has kicked off with 15 new celebrities taking to the dance floor for the first time with their professional dancers.
However, there is one contestant for whom life in the public eye is not easy, as he revealed that he has been plagued by multiple identity scammers.
Dr Punam Krishan, best known as a television doctor on BBC’s Morning Live, has fallen victim to online scammers using her photo on fake accounts to spread false information.
Speaking openly about the turmoil this has caused him in his column with the iPaper In April, Dr Punam admitted: “Hardly a day goes by that I don’t get a message from a follower on social media informing me of a fake account using my images to spam them.”
The Glasgow GP said she was “deeply concerned” by the rise of AI-generated “deepfake” videos which allow fraudsters a more sophisticated means of manipulating video and audio in a way that replicates real life.
‘This is what happened when my photo was used in a scam’: Strictly contestant Dr Punam Krishan revealed how she fell victim to online scammers as she confessed ‘deep concerns’ about the rise of ‘deepfakes’
The GP, best known as a television doctor on BBC’s Morning Live, became a victim of online scammers who used her photo on fake accounts to spread false information.
Expressing her concerns, Dr. Punam explained that she chose to work in the media to challenge health misinformation that often circulates online and to help provide accessible information to the public.
She wrote: “It’s distressing to hear from followers that they have received messages from fake accounts impersonating me.”
The doctor revealed that scammers often take photos from her social media account, some of which even include snapshots of her family with misinformation in the captions.
The scammers, posing as Dr. Punam, will then ask victims for money for medical research or for charities claiming to raise funds for humanitarian causes, as well as selling products without any proof.
She continued: ‘I am very concerned about the consequences of this. I am immediately blocking and reporting these accounts, and I am also advising my followers to do the same, but I am still concerned about how far and how far they have gone.
“What if someone has fallen into the trap, transferred money or worse, followed ill-informed advice and become ill as a result?”
Urging people to be more cautious about what they see online, especially in relation to health, Dr Punam reiterated the importance of using credible sources such as the NHS website before taking action.
After speaking out on the topic, fans shared their condolences with the star via the comments.
Expressing her concern, she wrote: “It’s distressing to hear from followers that they have received messages from fake accounts impersonating me” (pictured, on Morning Live).
She continued: “I am very concerned about the implications of this. I am immediately blocking and reporting these accounts, and also advising my followers to do the same, but I still feel anxious about how far and how far they have come” (pictured with her dance partner Gorka Marquez).
After speaking out on the topic, fans shared their condolences with the star and responded to the comments.
One wrote: “Thank you for highlighting this. It’s scary! The possibility of other areas and sectors being affected by this is also very real. It’s very important to remain very vigilant.”
Dr Punam then replied: “It is frightening and deeply worrying.”
Another added: “So scary… Thanks for sharing.”
This comes after Dr Punam revealed she has been wearing her dancing shoes to her GP’s surgery in a bid to slim down.
The star, who is partnered with Gorka Marquez for this year’s series, said she was advised to wear her high-heeled dance shoes as much as possible so they would be more comfortable during training.
In a video filmed in her medical office and posted online, Dr. Krishan discussed the feedback she received in her first session.
She said: ‘Obviously you know I’m training in the evenings for everything Strictly related at the moment and the feedback I’ve had after my first day of training has been that I really need to break in my dance shoes to stop them from hurting as much as they used to and also to stop the blisters.
‘I had to get a little creative and work with the time I had. I had to wear them to work. As you can see, they’re very high. They’re not very comfortable. They’re very tight.
Dr Krishan is married to fellow GP and Scottish Conservative MP Dr Sandesh Gulhane, whom she married in 2011.
This comes after Dr Punam revealed he has been wearing his dancing shoes to his GP’s surgery in an attempt to break them in.
“And when you’ve been dancing in them for a few hours I can’t tell you how much your toes hurt. So I’ll stick to my uniform and sandals.
“I wonder how the patients are doing as I make noise in the corridors. But you have to do what you have to do to get ahead.
‘That’s what I’m working with today: scrubs, stethoscopes and sandals.’
Dr Krishan is married to fellow GP and Conservative Scottish MP Dr Sandesh Gulhane, whom she married in 2011.
The couple have a son, Aarish, 11, and a daughter, Ellora, four, as well as a pet cockapoo.
