Once again, I feel compelled to make this publication due to the constant fake news about Il Volo that daily invades every type of social media.
I’ll start by offering you this article published in early September by TRIESTE NEWS newspaper (Trieste is the capital city of Friuli Venezia Giulia, a region in northern Italy).
You can see the original article here.
CLICK HERE to view the article
This is the title, very eloquent:
He pretends to be Gianluca Ginoble from Il Volo, a disabled woman from Trieste, was defrauded.
The same topic was taken up by Radio-Roseto (Roseto degli Abruzzi, Gianluca’s hometown) which published this post which I’m translating for you.
Trieste: Pensioner defrauded online by a fake Gianluca Ginoble profile from Il Volo
A 60-year-old woman living in Trieste fell victim to an online scam orchestrated by a fake Facebook profile impersonating Gianluca Ginoble, a member of the famous band Il Volo. Paradoxically, the artist is known for his dedication to issues related to disability and the elderly.
Convinced that she had been in a virtual relationship with the singer since last March, the retired woman, who has a disability, was persuaded to make numerous top-ups on the “Steam” platform, totaling €2,280.
When she realized the scam, the woman filed a complaint with the Carabinieri station on Via dell’Istria, precisely reconstructing the details of the scam. Investigations are ongoing, and the judicial authorities have been informed.
The artist’s father (Ercole Ginoble) also intervened in the matter, reiterating his call to caution in a public post:
“Despite repeated warnings not to believe these impostors… they are all fake profiles!”
The news was reported by the online news outlet TRIESTE.news.
This incident refocuses attention on the phenomenon of online romance scams, which often target vulnerable individuals, exploiting the victims’ emotional involvement and the notoriety of public figures to defraud them of money.
So the poor woman was induced, like many other fans, to make deposits in cash or with prepaid cards, thinking she was chatting with the real Gianluca.😩🤬
And now I propose this video published on Tik-Tok by Alvise Salerno who is a speaker on Radio Number One (Italian radio), and which I translate for you.
CLICK HERE to view the video
Il Volo paying homage to Charlie Kirk (American conservative political activist) during a live performance?
Fake news, it never happened, but the posts went viral.
ALVISE = It’s necessary to make a video because something’s happening here on TikTok and also on Facebook, especially on these two social networks, regarding Il Volo.
We’re saying this right away because then people will scroll forward.(He means that he reported the news immediately so as not to have the reader scroll ahead looking for the topic.)
THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED, IL VOLO HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS STORY.
Basically, these people created an article that, among other things, leads to a site where viruses are spread. So don’t open this article if you happen to see it. I won’t even show it to you on the screen. But you should know that this article exists that says Il Volo participated in a concert commemorating Charlie Kirk and that during their performance they even stopped, lowered their heads, and gave a eulogy, something of that sort for Kirk himself.
I’m telling you this for a simple reason, aside from the fact that it never happened, because I’ve read thousands, oh boy, thousands of comments believing this bullshit!!
The guys from Il Volo have NEVER participated in any concert commemorating Charlie Kirk, the guys from Il Volo have NEVER sung a song for Charlie Kirk, the guys from Il Volo have NEVER stopped their performance by bowing their heads, as has been described, to pay homage to Kirk himself.
This thing is going around the world, and by the way, it didn’t even start in Italy. There were simply users who took this news, brought it back to Italy, in Italian, created videos, and those videos are getting thousands of likes and thousands of comments.
Boys and girls, NO, STOP!!
Thank you, Alvise, for raising this issue and for rightfully defending our guys.
Did you listen carefully to Alvise’s words? These people are waiting for your comments, your likes, which translate into money for them!!! 🤬🤬
That’s why I’m telling you not to like randomly, but to double-check the site the photos and videos come from.
Finally, I offer you this comment that was written under our article published on February 24, 2025.
Ludwig writes to us from France, his comment was made on September 3rd. and I’ll translate it for you:
“My mother is under the influence of Piero Barone’s fake profiles. She’s 74 years old and has already spent €5,000. We explained and showed her all the comments and evidence that they are scammers. She doesn’t give up, she says the real Piero is in love with her. We’re living in hell; we’re all lost: friends, children, grandchildren. She lied to us so we could advance her money, which went to her scammers. This has been going on since March 25. She wants to prove to us that he will come and that she won’t give up. Do you have any other testimonies? We’re in France. Sometimes I manage to take control of her Messenger and expose the scammers. Then I eliminate one of the henchmen, but 10 more appear.”
Ludwig, I’m so sorry about the scam your mother suffered. Please let her read this article and I hope she can be convinced. Piero would NEVER ask a fan for money.
And this is another article published by ACIREALE SOCIAL (Acireale is a Sicilian town).
ONLINE SCAM ALERT: FAKE PROFILES OF PIERO BARONE USED TO DECEIVE MEMBERS
September 7
In recent days, the administrators of Acireale Social have detected a worrying increase in membership requests from profiles supposedly belonging to Italian singers, particularly Piero Barone of the trio Il Volo. These requests, which at first glance might seem harmless or even flattering, actually conceal a well-orchestrated attempt at digital fraud.
On August 24, our page published a photo of Piero Barone having lunch at a well-known restaurant in Acireale. The post attracted considerable interest among members, with numerous comments and shares. It’s plausible that scammers, noticing the attention it generated, decided to exploit the singer’s image to create fake profiles and attempt to virtually approach fans who had interacted with the content. These profiles, often well-constructed and accompanied by photos stolen from official social media, began contacting users directly, initiating private conversations with the aim of obtaining money.
This is not an isolated case. Piero Barone himself previously collaborated with the television show Le Iene to expose a scammer impersonating him, successfully getting an elderly woman to send him money, believing she was chatting with the real artist. The incident highlighted how easy it is for those with malicious intent to exploit the notoriety of public figures to manipulate people’s emotions and trust.
According to the Postal Police, cloning social media profiles is an increasingly widespread practice, especially in conjunction with public events, television appearances, or viral posts. Fake profiles tend to be recently created, with few friends, generic content, and a communication style designed to appear credible. They often offer investments, fundraisers, or ticket sales for non-existent events.
The administrators of Acireale Social urge all members to exercise extreme caution. It is essential not to accept suspicious requests, not to share personal information, and to immediately report any unusual behavior. Verifying the authenticity of a profile also involves checking the creation date, the consistency of posts, and the presence of verified official channels.
The administrators will continue to monitor the situation, but it is important that each user is aware of the risks and remains vigilant.
It is highly unlikely that a famous singer would decide to personally contact members of a local page to discuss local events.
And here is a video made by Ignazio in 2023 where he explaining about the fake profiles that are under his name and which ones are his and please do not message these people if they send you a Facebook message or even if they sent you a Facebook request because it’s not him. He does not have Facebook. The only account he has is his Instagram and it should have a blue check mark next to his name to verify that account is his legit one.
In recent days, after the news of Gabriele’s birth, fake photos of Ignazio with a baby in his arms have appeared on many pages.
Be wary, they are all fake!!! 🤬🤬
I hope that publishing this latest article on the subject of fakes will help many people clarify matters.
Our guys DON’T ASK FOR MONEY, THEY DON’T MAKE FRIENDS TO CHAT WITH FANS, everyone beware of these scams!!
Piero, Gianluca, and Ignazio are much loved individually and also as Il Volo, which is why there are many FAKE articles and FAKE profiles trying to attract your naive attention, playing on your affection for these three wonderful guys. So don’t accept friendships or send money from people who present themselves to you as the real Piero Barone, Ignazio Boschetto, and Gianluca Ginoble, or as Il Volo!!
They are all FAKE!!!!
Be careful, please: Daniela 🤗
Credit to owners of all photos and videos.
Thank you Daniela for this important reminder! Hoping I am able to meet you some day.
Thanks Sally for the compliments, and who knows, maybe we’ll meet one day!!
As always Thank You Daniela for your wise words to those followers who end up posting on fake sites. I haven’t
Posted on this site in a while but I read all that is interesting to me. I do post on Gary’s site All Things Il Volo. I know his site is safe as well as here to make comments. He is constantly banishing Fake News on his site. I also have gotten a posting to me that one of the guys would like me to answer them. Really 🥰 Isn’t it sad that these scammers prey on the vulnerable🙁
Carolorlandocao – most of you know I was scammed 2.5 years ago! My husband was dying and of course I found Gianluca was looking for me…..then the $$$ he kept asking from me! The international police said they likely could be from anywhere—a neighbor, gang member from Africa, or anywhere!! They can never find anyone as they all change alias in a second! I had therapy for ages, as I had to work at rebuilding trust!
Don’t believe anything – only believe this sight!!! I quit Facebook and do Instagram and follow 21 friends! Every day I get friend requests, delete immediately- must admit I don’t think I have ever had a request from Ignatieff!!
I did see them this past April (spent a bundle) and should they come to Canada I will be there! Look for a 78 year old hitch hiker on the road and wave! Love this group and believe they are outstanding with wonderful values and heart!
Dheila, unfortunately, we know your story, and we’re so happy now that you’re part of our group.
It’s true that Facebook has become a breeding ground for these people and these fake sites.
I personally have a personal Facebook page, but I NEVER respond to these fakes!
Hi Annette, nice to hear from you.
Don’t worry if you don’t comment much, but I know you read our posts.
Gary is working hard in this fight against fake news, and he has my full support!
Thank you. Daniela greatly appreciated.
It breaks my heart to think this is still happening in fact multiplying! Thank you Daniela again and again, as you know I was a victim of a Gianluca scammer in 2023, I’m so cautious now! To these women that were mentioned just learn from your mistakes…the world still turns and you’re not alone. Maybe Facebook is not for many of us, consider canceling it, I’m thinking it’s not worth the hardship!
Carol💖💖💖🎼🎤❤️😘🤗🙏🏻☮️
Unfortunately, Carol, this silly thing continues, and many fans fall into the trap of these horrible people.
I think that now, after all the warnings, it’s the new fans who approach Il Volo and are unaware of these scams who end up being duped. I hope our publications help open their eyes!
Great article Daniela, these low life dirt bags getting more creative at getting money and info. Have to remember Il volo, Piero, Gianluca, ignazio NEVER Ask for Fans to send them anything nor will they send a Fan anything
What do you say, Judy? If these people used their abilities for positive things, to help, and not to deceive, it wouldn’t be a good thing!!
They exploit their abilities to attract people who in good faith place their trust in them.
Thank you for all this fake news report. I get so many of these posts daily and it’s alarming. As you have mentioned before, these men never ask for money and why would they?
Exactly Gail, our guys, Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca would never ask their fans for money or to top up their cards, it’s incredible how many people have been scammed like this.
They send vip cards at internet,and l think because if this,they atracted scammers using his names
Thank you, Daniella.I certainly hope that this will open people’s eyes and make them realize.
All the fake people trying to scam.
Brenda, that’s exactly what I hope too: that whoever reads this opens their eyes and doesn’t trust these people.
I was one who was scammed my fault but this was several years ago before so much was put out there Pllease listen to the information given to you to protect yourselves and others spread the news help any way you can but most of all protect YOURSELF!!!!! The guys live their lives for privacy and comfort and protection of they friends and families please allow them that time!!! The gabage lies and so on and those trying to take from you are now world wide USA England all over Europe and an especailly large group from Nigeria!!! Stay safe listen to their music love their videos see them when you can but remember we are only fans to them they have their own lives to live!!!
Hi how are you? Thank you and I deleted my social media. I did see a video of Piero saying on it telegram him and telegram address is on video. Nope no way . I was compromised everything 2 months ago . Take care
Linda
Linda, you’ve been scammed too. I have my own Facebook page and I maintain it, but I absolutely don’t respond to any friend requests (I get a lot from people like Piero, Ignazio, and Gianluca) and I don’t give in to false information or photos! You have to be careful.
Unfortunately Cindi, you too have been a victim of these fakes and that is why we must join forces and shout to everyone: BEWARE OF FAKES!
Hi! How are you? Sorry I don’t have any social media anymore. Everything I had was compromised. Had to change everything.
Take care from Linda
It is so kind of you Daniela to again expose these scams and to warn people not to fall for them. They can get away with it because it’s so hard to locate them. I feel bad for the guys because I’m sure it hurts them to know their fans are being taken advantage of by these scammers. Hopefully your warnings will make a difference.
Cathy, I too am saddened to read certain things and I believe that our guys and their families are also disheartened and saddened by everything that is falsely written.
Thank you, Daniela, these words can’t be repeated enough. I once fell for a fake profile myself. It was a Piero Barone fake, and I was messaging him. It wasn’t until he demanded money from me in the form of Steam cards that I woke up.
I don’t reply to anyone anymore. I want to block him, and it actually hurt my heart to do so.
I think many women out there feel the same way. So thank you for constantly reminding us not to reply to anyone. Best regards, Germany
Claudia, even if you don’t want to block him (you should know that he is a fake person anyway), the important thing is that you don’t chat with him and that you don’t follow what he posts, you’ll see that the fake Piero will get tired and abandon your profile.
Olá Daniela e Pat,
Como exemplo, só hoje já bloqueei 6 perfis falsos do Piero Barone.
Nunca acreditei nestes pedidos de amizade, pelo que nunca tive problemas, mas tive que tornar a minha conta de Instagram privada para mais segurança.
E no Facebook só sigo as contas de fãs que são confiáveis. Todos os outros posts que aparecem feed com o nome deles são imediatamente bloqueados.
Enfim…. é um trabalho diário….
Mas os avisos nunca são demais.
Obrigada!
Bom para você, Margarida! 😊 Acho que tudo o que podemos fazer é bloquear ou excluir essas falsificações.
Good for you, Margarida! 😊 I think all we can do is block or delete these fakes.
Margarida, ya es una costumbre diaria abrir el PC o el celular y bloquear los diversos fakes de Piero Ignazio y Gianluca, es algo increíble pero no hay que rendirse..
.
Margarida, it’s now a daily habit to open your PC or cell phone and block the various fake Piero Ignazio and Gianluca, it’s an incredible thing but we mustn’t give up.
Thank you so much Daniela/Pat for once again bringing up this subject.. It is such a sad thing… and it makes me angry and frustrated. It shouldn’t be necessary – but indeed it is still and I guess more than ever relevant. During the last couple of years I have spent countless hours trying to “fight” against these scammers and imposters – but in vain. A few pages have been closed, but few weeks later they do just pop up in a new version. And Facebook’s AI system doesn’t seem to understand the situation, hence reporting them to FB does in general just end up with the answer “We cannot see that our rules have been broken, and therefore we have not removed the page”. Grrrrrrr. I have even reported posts by a fake Gianluca displaying strong porno – but nope, Facebook couldn’t see any problems… One of the things, I have noted lately is, that the scammers have become even smarter. Previously they would do a fake profile-page and it was relatively easy to detect them if you studied the details and noted that it was started up two months ago only and just had 5 friends… – but these days they open up a GROUP (they don’t ask for membership…) and then they make a number of fake profile-pages as respectively Gianluca, Piero and Ignazio and then use them to “post” fake news in the group. Then you are no longer able to report the fake profiles to Facebook, as in the group you can only report the post to the administrator – aka the imposter/scammer having started up the group! And you end up as a laughing stock. I don’t know how to battle that! Further, I read somewhere the other day that someone had tried to look into this issue and found out that there were more than 2000 fake Gianluca profiles – so what can one really do? Nothing but to stay alert well knowing that none of the guys do never, ever post on Facebook nor communicate with fans by means of messenger or other social media. And they will definitely never ask for money. The only individual profiles they have are the verified (little blue mark) accounts on Instagram – and that is a one-way communication. Any other profiles are FAKE and you should never ever respond to them nor send money. As Ignazio says in his video: “We don’t need money – we only need your love”!
Having said so, this should not refrain anyone from being on Facebook. Facebook is a unique media for communication and to get to know people from all over the world. And no-one should refrain from being member of a clearly indicated FAN CLUB of the guys. But anyone claiming that they ARE Gianluca, Piero or Ignazio are SCAMMERS and IMPOSTERS and as Daniela says, don’t even give them a like and do definitely not communicate with them nor send money anywhere. Just scroll over the posts and ignore them. And yes I do likewise daily get friendship requests in the name of the guys – I delete/block them immediately. It is difficult to avoid – if in similarity with me – you like to give a like or write a few words of comments on the official IL VOLO Facebook profile. Many scammers/imposters go there to pick up new potential fans to scam and you will often see 5 different fake Gianluca profiles responding to your comment… Just ignore them but do know that you can expect a friendship request following. As said, don’t accept or comment in that case – just delete and block them!
Once again, thank you so much Daniela/Pat for bringing up this issue once again – it can never be brought to attention sufficiently enough. And a wonderful day to everyone! Love – Kirsten, Denmark
Gut geschrieben Daniela und Kirsten. Vielen Dank.
You’re most welcome, Kirsten. 😊 I also patrol the Il Volo Fanpage on Facebook to block and remove the impostors who comment on our posts there. I also tried reporting them but Facebook finds nothing wrong. It is certainly a sad situation.
Kirsten, these fake people aren’t giving up because they understand that so many people still react to their posts and send money.
The Il Volo fandom is truly huge and has a big heart, which is why these bad people find fertile ground, and that’s why we need to persist with these posts and spread the word as much as possible. It seems like a battle against windmills, but even windmills eventually break down.
Dear Daniela
I am a victim of fraud. I have lost several thousand dollars. I have two masters degrees and still fell prey, My heart was broken and so was my bank account. they also threatened my life by email.
Sincerely, ‘
Mary Gale Dwork
Unfortunately, Mary, I’ve read about many people like you who have been scammed. I’m sorry, and my advice is to only trust reputable sites. Don’t be fooled by flashy titles or doctored photos, and absolutely don’t send money for any reason. Buy concert tickets only from the sites listed on the Il Volo page, usually Ticketone and Ticketmaster.
Thank you for the warning ,so many people get caught up in their scams regards
I do not want to bescammed but cannot figure out how to buy a real vip card so I can at least take a picure of the real guys or meet them for a second. I was told by other fans it was a waste of money to buy the vip card but that would be a give to myself. here is my contact information. Thank you for this caution. ritamwelsh@gmail.com
Dear Rita, you MUST NOT LISTEN TO ANY VIP CARD PURCHASE OFFER THAT IS MADE TO YOU. Trust only the official website. This is the only official Il Volo page https://www.ilvolomusic.com/
Joining the fan club gives you access to concert ticket sales, you can attend soundchecks, and you’ll receive email updates. Membership costs €25 a year, and you don’t receive a card; it’s online only. (Years ago, there were actual cards, but not anymore.) Read carefully what this verified address offers.
https://pay.fanclub.ilvolomusic.com/it/
If you’d like to meet the guys after a concert for a quick chat and photos (everyone complains that it’s a quick and expensive meeting), follow this link and you’ll be notified of the availability of these meetings.
https://www.omgvip.com/ilvolo/
Be wary of all other pages offering VIP cards, which are scams and cost very high.
I recommend joining the official fan club, going to the soundcheck, and then going to the concert. You don’t need a VIP seat; there are excellent seats in the front rows at no extra cost (follow the tour on the official page, which also lists where to buy tickets).
Often, after concerts, you can directly purchase a ticket for the Meet & Greet, which gives you access to a brief meeting and photo opportunity.
I hope I’ve been clear, but be wary of all other pages other than the ones I’ve mentioned. 🙂
Thank you for your reply. I did pay my $25 and I am a member of the fan club. I don’t receive much information from them.
as always excellent excellent information from the most wonderful intelligent lady also, I think that’s something we need to put out and tell people that Il Volo does not have cards anymore. You only get cards to go to the VIP when you buy your tickets for a show. There is no other way That I know of am I wrong? It’s so discouraging to hear about these women sending money for all these cards when you tell them, the guys won’t ask for money they won’t ask you to buy anything. They won’t ask you for anything if they ever were to talk to you, but they do not talk to their fans because early on it caused problems so they’ve decided not to do so thank you a thousandfold as always, Daniela. I’ll add a PS they also will not ask you for money to support their orphanages!!!
It’s funny, after I made a comment about Il Volo about the trip in Brazil, I was contacted by two “fakes”. One said that he was Piero Baroni and the other Gianluca Ginoble. I am 78 years old and both professed their love for me. I continued to answer to see when they would start trying to beg something economically. When both, without any of them knowing about my contact with the other one, they began to tell the same story and insisted that I should buy some kind of card in a shop in my hometown and send a copy to them, I of course said no and told them that I already knew they was “fake” and I was just waiting for to see when they would try to involve me some kind of economic involvement. Despite my clear no, they continue to try to charme me to buy this card. These cards, (information on the internet) are often used by fraudsters!
Unfortunately, Irene, this is the reality. Anyone who comments is immediately taken in by these fake people who promise love and support but are hiding it, and it becomes increasingly obvious as time goes by. This is just a way to gain your trust and convince you to send them money, in any form, even prepaid cards or fake concert tickets or fake dinners with them.
I’ve heard of women who came to Italy from their home countries for a personal meeting with one of them, which was obviously fake. I was told that during their American tour, Il Volo was staying in a hotel in Canada, and a fan was also staying there. When she saw one of the three guys arrive in the lobby, she approached him, saying she had just made the money transfer he had requested. At this point, our real guy told her he hadn’t requested anything at all, and so the woman discovered she was the victim of a scam and had sent a large amount of money to a fake person!
So please DO NOT SEND MONEY, DO NOT REPLY TO THESE FAKE PROFILES, be careful, the scam is just around the corner!!
Daniela, I was just invited by a false “Gianluca ginoble” (with a small”g”) to like a page. Many of the participants in the page have found out that it is a FAKE, but many others are believes that it is true.
I sent a copy of my earlier comments here in your page, to the false “Piero Barone” that then disappeared. I tried to send the same to the false “Gianluca”, but it did not arrive to him. He is still phoning and trying that I buy that shady card, even as I already told him that I know that he is false.
It looks like there is something organized behind all these attempts to impersonate famous artists. As I wrote before, when there was two in the same time trying to convince me, their program, how to convince old ladys to believe in them is so simular. Looks like have a school and some leader over them. I could see some desperation from the scammers when they don’t succeed!
I have published your link to this page on the false “Gianluca” page so everyone can read it.
Liebe Irene, es sind leider immer mehr Betrüger und es sind immer gut organisierte Gruppen, dir von den Betrügereien leben.
Irene, sorry I’m only just getting back to you.
Unfortunately, even as time passes, it seems these fake “Piero, Ignazio, and Gianluca” never stop committing these malicious acts against people who, unfortunately, trust them.
Thank you for posting our link on that fake page. We hope someone reading this will reconsider.
There’s definitely a well-protected organization of scammers behind all this.
Hello, Daniela.
Happy New Year 2026! My name is Daniela Plugaru, I live in Bucharest, Romania. I kindly ask you for a contact or a possibility for a private discussion, related to a similar scamming situation that a relative, a lady of 72 years old, is painfully experiencing since more than a year, despite all the wornings and proves we presented her, including the articles above, that she is in contact with a fake Gianluca Ginoble. This is so similar to all I have read on this section, but we, as family, are helpless and somehow unable to convince a person that is sentimentally involved at this age in such story, despite the logical and rational arguments we continously provide her. I personally am very worried that this is like a “plague” phenomen which somehow can affect the image of the group. In my opinion, a fan shall remain a fan and have the self control not cross any border, especially the imaginary one. Thank you for keeping this section and thank you very much for your support. All the best to you.
Dear Daniela, Happy New Year to you too, and I sincerely hope this year is the time when you can convince your relative of the petty scam she’s been subjected to.
Unfortunately, there are no words to describe what happens, and so many people fall for these very clever scams, designed solely to exploit loneliness and the desire for “different” affection. These evil people will stop at nothing, no matter the age of the person they scam.
The real Piero, Gianluca, and Ignazio have repeatedly stated that they never call or write to anyone personally, and above all, that they would never ask for money, but this isn’t enough to convince fans. Numerous articles have even been written to warn people, but unfortunately, we continue to hear of new fans falling for the scam.
If it helps, I’m on Facebook; my name is Daniela Perani. Feel free to contact me.