Forbidden advertising scam

Celebrities have their identities stolen so brazenly

Celebrities such as Armin Wolf and Barbara Stöckl are fighting against their digital counterfeits.(Bild: ORF, zVg, ORF/First Look, zVg: Krone KREATIV)

It's a million-dollar business for fraudsters and costs stars time, nerves and money: celebrities such as Barbara Stöckl and Armin Wolf allegedly advertise diets or bitcoins online. Sexy weatherman Sigi Fink had to act as a love swindler. Fighting against this is almost hopeless.

His expertise in forecasting sun, storms and rain is well known. As is his face. Because Sigi Fink (40) not only presents the weather on Ö3, but also on ORF's main evening program. The radio station's listeners voted him the "sexiest man in Austria". An honor that became Fink's undoing: His photo keeps popping up on dating platforms - under numerous pseudonyms on fake profiles.

Two years ago, a certain "Dave Owen" uploaded Fink's picture, allegedly an oil engineer from Norway. An Austrian woman promptly fell in love with him. Unfortunately, "Owen" lost his credit card and asked for a bridging loan of 7,000 euros. The woman paid.