Investment Scam: Woman Loses €10,000 to a Fake Emmanuel Macron
Published by Matthieu Chauvin on 09/06/2026
A resident of Pont-à-Mousson lost all her savings following a sophisticated scam exploiting artificial intelligence to impersonate the head of state and siphon her money.
Investment scams have reached a new technological level in recent months. Using fake videos distributed on social networks, scammers manipulate their targets to empty their bank accounts with alarming efficiency. According to Yousign (a company specialized in electronic signatures) in its 2026 report, a deepfake fraud attempt occurs every 5 minutes in France, illustrating the unprecedented scale of the phenomenon.
The trap set on Facebook closes on €10,000
Everything changes in early June 2026 for this resident of Meurthe-et-Moselle. While browsing the internet, she clicks on a Facebook advertisement featuring the President of the Republic and billionaire Bernard Arnault. This video promotes a financial investment described as miraculous. Completely convinced by the striking realism of the images, the victim agrees to leave her personal details.
Very quickly, a supposed financial advisor contacts her by phone to finalize the transaction. Under the direct influence of this reassuring interlocutor, the saver makes two successive transfers of €5,000 each, thus losing all her savings, reports CNews. Faced with this tragedy, the Pont-à-Mousson police strongly recommend "never making a bank transfer after a call and contacting your bank directly if in doubt," the news channel emphasizes.
Artificial intelligence at the service of cybercriminals
This scam relies entirely on the deepfake technique, an algorithm capable of cloning the voice and face of public figures. According to experts at ESBanque, the use of synthetic content in cyberattacks has surged by more than 2,100% between 2022 and 2025. A technological sophistication that easily fools users' vigilance: although 85% of French people are aware of investment scams according to AMF (Financial Markets Authority) data, artificial intelligence makes visual detection extremely difficult.
To complete the theft, fraudsters then use the "Remote Access Scam". They trick the targeted person into installing remote control software, such as AnyDesk or TeamViewer. Under the pretext of helping them set up their investor profile, they directly access their banking interface. Perfectly rehearsed phone scripts and fake platforms displaying false virtual gains maintain the illusion until the funds disappear for good.
Safety reflexes to protect your savings
Certain warning signs should immediately raise suspicion, notably promises of unrealistic returns and the use of images of public figures to promote financial products. The platform Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr reminds a golden rule: "Microsoft, Apple, the Police, the Government or your bank will never contact you unsolicited to ask you to install remote control software." Before any investment, consulting official registers, such as REGAFI for credit institutions or ORIAS, remains an essential step.
If you detect AI-generated visual anomalies on an advertisement, such as unsynchronized lip movements or artificial eye blinking, immediately stop browsing. In case of confirmed doubt or ongoing scam, promptly uninstall any suspicious software and change all your passwords.
Then alert your bank to try to block the transactions, although recovering voluntarily validated transfers often engages your own responsibility (even if this is changing because it partly contradicts consumer protection law), making the procedure complex. Systematically file a complaint on the specialized platform THESEE to initiate necessary legal action.
