Actor Tony Umez has come forward to dispute claims that he’s dead, calling them "baseless" and "untrue."

In a post on Instagram, the 59-year-old denounced the spread of misinformation and urged his followers to only trust news that comes directly from him or his family and management.

He said

Good day, my lovely people.
I need to address this disturbing issue that has come to my attention. There are some unscrupulous individuals who have been using my pictures and videos maliciously, falsely reporting me as deceased in order to gain traffic to their pages.

First and foremost, I want to assure you that I am very much alive and well. These false reports are nothing but baseless rumors spread by individuals with ill intentions. I will be taking legal action against these persons, as their actions not only infringe upon my rights but also cause unnecessary distress to my loved ones and fans.

I understand the power of social media and the impact it can have on spreading information. However, it is disheartening to see how it can be misused by a few to spread false news for personal gain. I urge you all to be vigilant and only trust information that comes directly from me or my official channels.

Love you all loads 💓💓💓.”