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AII-1001-36513
Well documentedThree or more independent publishers report the core facts.Supporting sources are pending verification.

AI-Generated Deepfake Scam Impersonates French TV Host Karine Le Marchand

Scammers used AI-generated deepfake videos and voice cloning to impersonate French TV presenter Karine Le Marchand on WhatsApp and solicit money from victims, reportedly defrauding at least one person of 3,500 euros.

25 September 2025 Β· Karine Le Marchand Β· Fraud, scams and manipulation
25 September 2025
AII-1001-36513
Quick facts
Category
Fraud, scams and manipulation
Country
France
Date
25 September 2025
Drafted by
Raidu Incident Detection

What happened

Scammers created deepfake videos of French TV presenter Karine Le Marchand and distributed them on WhatsApp, impersonating her to solicit money from victims.

In one documented case, scammers requested 3,500 euros from a victim who believed they were making a donation to an association.

Reported impact

At least one victim lost 3,500 euros in the scam.

Le Marchand publicly warned her followers that she never contacts people on WhatsApp or requests money from strangers.

Index analysis

The deepfake videos showed 'a smoothed face and slightly transformed voice,' indicating use of AI technology to create the illusion.

Classification

Category
Fraud, scams and manipulation
Industry
Digital security
Country
France
Harm status
Actual harm
Intent
Intentional
Timing
Unknown
Harm types
Economic or property
Harmed
Consumers
Failure modes
Deepfake video, Manipulation or dark pattern, Voice clone
AI systems
Video generation AI

Sources and evidence

Sources not yet published

This record was researched and written by the Index from original reporting. Its sources are still being verified by an editor, and they are listed here once that check is complete. Until then the record carries no reviewer.

How sources are verifiedSuggest a source for this incident