France’s financial regulator AMF has issued an urgent warning about a surge in investment scams using cloned websites impersonating major news outlets including Le Monde, Le Figaro, and TF1. Fraudsters are publishing fake articles featuring deepfake content and fabricated quotes from celebrities and politicians promoting fraudulent trading platforms like BitKeltTrade, claiming they offer AI-driven get-rich-quick schemes.
This sophisticated scam network extends far beyond France. Australian authorities recently uncovered a similar operation that defrauded over 4,000 victims of hundreds of millions of dollars through fake news campaigns and international call centers operating across Israel, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Cyprus, South Africa and the Philippines.
AMF data from 2010 to 2026 reveals brand impersonation accounts for 85 percent of all impersonation-related warnings, totaling 1,317 cases. Fraudsters specifically target established media brands and financial institutions to exploit their credibility with retail investors.
FXnCO Insight
Verify any investment opportunity through official regulatory channels before engaging, especially those promoted through social media or unfamiliar news websites featuring celebrity endorsements.
Source: Finance Magnates