Deepfake videos impersonating French banking officials used to defraud investors
The Banque de France and ACPR warned on 27 April 2026 that fraudsters were using AI-generated deepfake videos impersonating the institutions' senior officials to trick investors into making fraudulent transactions. The scams operated across social media, phone calls, and emails, falsely promising financial gains to victims.
What happened
Fraudsters used AI-generated deepfake videos impersonating officials of the Banque de France and the Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de résolution (ACPR) to deceive people into financial transactions. The fake videos showed these officials recommending financial placements and investment platforms.
The fraudsters used multiple channels to approach targets, including social media, phone calls, and emails. They claimed to offer money transfers from inheritances or blocked savings accounts, demanding upfront fees or transactions to unlock the funds, and created urgency to push victims into rapid action.
Reported impact
The Banque de France and ACPR warned that the fraud attempts targeted online users and were designed to trick victims into making transactions on fraudulent websites. The deepfakes were created to give credibility to false messages by impersonating the governor of the Banque de France, François Villeroy de Galhau, and the secretary general of the ACPR, Emmanuelle Assouan, among other officials.
Index analysis
Fraudsters specifically targeted officials working in payment methods and financial institution supervision to increase perceived credibility of their schemes. The perpetrators combined AI-generated synthetic media with social engineering tactics across multiple communication channels to maximize deception.
Governance controls
The Banque de France and ACPR issued a joint statement on 27 April alerting the public that none of their officials ever recommend financial products or investment platforms. The institutions clarified this principle as the key defense against such fraud attempts.
Classification
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.