Hacked! – Episode #6
Medical identity theft: the Michel Cymes case unpacked
Fraudulent advertisements using the image of Dr Michel Cymes circulated on Instagram to sell slimming gummies he never endorsed. An emblematic case of digital identity theft for commercial purposes.
Michel Cymes, a physician and unmissable figure in the French media landscape for forty years, has a verified Instagram account, @drmichelcymes, followed by more than 300,000 people. It is precisely this public profile and medical credibility that scammers chose to exploit, using his image in fraudulent advertisements and photomontages to sell a slimming product he never recommended.
Fake advertisements and photomontages: how Michel Cymes’s image was hijacked
Advertisements circulating on Instagram promoted slimming gummies using Michel Cymes’s name and image, sold under the promise of daily use — one gummy every morning for two weeks — for visible results. None of these advertisements were created or approved by the doctor himself.
This is a typical case of digital identity theft for commercial purposes: exploiting the credibility of a recognised medical figure to sell a product without their consent, by leveraging the trust the public places in them.
Michel Cymes alerts his community to misleading advertisements
Informed of the proliferation of this fraudulent content, Michel Cymes responded directly on his verified Instagram account to publicly deny any involvement:
“I have been informed of the proliferation of advertisements and photomontages using my name. I do not promote any slimming product — these are misleading and potentially dangerous advertisements.”
He then published a second warning message, accompanied by a visual striking through the product in question:
“Scam alert! My image is being used but this is a fraud! Do not hesitate to share this with anyone who mentions it to you.”
How to spot a fraudulent advertisement impersonating a healthcare professional
When faced with an advertisement featuring a recognised medical figure, a few simple reflexes help reduce the risk: check whether the advertisement links back to the person’s official verified account, be wary of any promise of quick and guaranteed results, and consult the person’s own publications directly before believing a recommendation circulating on social media.
Content certification: protecting official statements against impersonation
This case is part of a pattern already documented in our “Détournés” series, as seen in the Florent Pagny case, where a public figure’s image was similarly exploited for commercial purposes without their consent.
Without a proof of authenticity established at source, any publication can be falsified to simulate a recommendation that does not exist. Content certification ensures that an official statement remains verifiable and clearly distinct from any subsequent impersonation.
👉 Discover how Certiphy.io protects digital identity →
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