A retiree from Loir-et-Cher lost 16,500 euros after falling victim to a “deepfake” scam using the image of TV host Éric Antoine. In December 2025, this septuagenarian was trapped by a fake trading website promoted through hacking his television set, highlighting the increase in scams involving fake celebrities.
Like Anne, the scams involving fake celebrities seem to be never-ending. In recent months, many internet users have shared their stories of being scammed by impersonating well-known personalities from TV or movies.
One such case is a retiree from Loir-et-Cher who lost over 16,500 euros, as reported by La Nouvelle République. The resident of Mer, near Chambord, was deceived by a fake Éric Antoine.
Victim of a trading website
According to the local newspaper, the retiree is a fan of the show “La France a Incroyable Talent” broadcast on M6, in which the magician and comedian Éric Antoine participates.
In December 2025, while watching television on his set, the septuagenarian’s device was hacked. Subsequently, the scammers broadcasted a deepfake of Éric Antoine promoting a fraudulent trading site.
The victim then called the phone number provided by the fake Éric Antoine and ended up in contact with someone asking him to download an app. Unfortunately, the app allowed the scammers to remotely control the retiree’s mobile phone.
The retiree ended up depositing 16,500 euros on the trading site with the intention of surprising his wife, before realizing he had been scammed.
