‘This is a hoax’: Pete Helliar hits back at erectile dysfunction con

Host of The Project Pete Helliar has taken a hilarious jab at a fake online post which claimed he was suffering from erectile dysfunction.

The Aussie comedian took to social media earlier this week to share the news that he had become the latest victim of an online hoax. Taking to Instagram, Pete shared a screenshot of the advert which claimed he had “broken his silence” and revealed how he overcame his apparent medical condition.

According to the fake report, the father-of-three had found a way to deal with the problem and even spoken about it on The Project.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqbojq0gPTQ/

“Pete Helliar, 62, has always been seen as a straight talker who doesn’t mind being honest about how things are,” the fake statement read. “However, his latest comments have made the sponsors go nuts.

“Peter caused havoc last week when he revealed his new erectile dysfunction fix on The Project.”

Instead of taking the post to heart, the TV host, who is actually 43, made light of the situation in a hilarious post on Instagram.

“FYI… I’m the latest FB hoax revolving around articles surrounding erectile dysfunction,” he joked. “This is a hoax! (I am actually 63 and my penis has been described by my wife as “mostly workable” so…).”

Fans of the comedian followed his lead, leaving their own humorous replies.

“Fancy getting singled out by FB… I mean you’d have to be stiff,” one person joked.

Another added: “Wow you look really good for 62… what’s your secret?”

A third comment read: “I knew you were having Botox! Looking good for 62”.

Pete isn’t the first person to become the target of a Facebook hoax. Only months ago, Today Show host Georgie Gardner slammed Facebook for a fake advertisement campaign that claimed she was moving on from television presenting to sell skin care.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmeqU-zhxEX/

“Appalled & disgusted by this scam, using my image to endorse a face cream, under the guise of a news story,” she wrote at the time. “Do not buy it & FB [Facebook] take responsibility as publishing platform to remove it.”

Pete’s The Project colleague Carrie Bickmore also found herself at the centre of an online scam which also tried to fool Aussies into thinking they were buying skincare products from the much-loved TV personality.

The 37-year-old raised the alarm when she posted a scathing message on Instagram to warn fans of the scam.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm97toJnIXw/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_loading_state_control

Read more: ‘It’s a scam’: Carrie Bickmore warns fans about online skincare con

“SCAM WARNING. If you see articles or fake ads popping up on your social media feeds saying I am leaving The Project to focus on my FACE CREAM/BEAUTY BUSINESS please ignore and DO NOT click on the link to purchase the product. It’s a scam and they will take your money. Very sneaky. They have been targeting a few different presenters,” she wrote on the post.

Lisa Wilkinson also called out another scam earlier this year, making fun of the quotes she’d apparently made.

“So apparently this BS “moisturiser” is called Final Skin (pretty grim name in itself) but the dumb-ass quote supposedly from me is priceless,” she wrote on Twitter. “‘If you have a face and your face has skin, Final Skin will work for you…As a mixed-race person that is the first thing I made sure of.”

So apparently this BS “moisturiser” is called Final Skin (pretty grim name in itself) but the dumb-ass quote supposedly from me is priceless:
“If you have a face and your face has skin, Final Skin will work for you…As a mixed-race person that is the first thing I made sure of.” pic.twitter.com/CwUjN6nBYk

— Lisa Wilkinson (@Lisa_Wilkinson) March 17, 2018

Have you ever fallen victim to a scam? How do you protect yourself online?