The latest online scam to target Hallmark Channel stars and their fans is the circulation of false, clickbait reports on the network’s top actors, claiming they’re suffering life-threatening health crises.
On August 16, 2025, beloved Hallmark actor Andrew Walker posted a screenshot in his Instagram Stories of a fabricated headline that claimed that he was “rushed” to an ICU after doctors discovered a quickly progressing cancer.
Above the screenshot, which included a press photo of Walker, the “Jingle Bell Run” star wrote, “NOT TRUE! I’m fortunately healthy. Funny how seeing this in writing makes you appreciate your life even more. Let’s all give some gratitude today for our health. ❤️”
Hallmark Channel Fans Express Frustration Over ‘Disgusting’ Reports
On August 16, the Instagram fan account @awofans, dedicated to celebrating and promoting Walker’s projects, reposted his story about the false news report.
“This is disgusting that someone would do this to Andrew,” the account administrator captioned the post. “He’s not sick and he’s healthy as ever! 🤡😡”
Many fans expressed their frustration, including one who wrote, “What is wrong … with people!!! Why would anyone say this!!! It’s disgusting. Glad you’re fine and healthy!!!💕💕💕”
Another fan commented, “That’s so awful. Someone posting false info about Andrew’s health. I’m sorry @awalkk35 that you have been targeted. I wish these low life’s would stop already. So annoying. Stay Safe❤️”
Someone else noted they’d seen similar scams reporting false health news about other Hallmark stars, including Tyler Hynes. But he and Walker are both healthy and currently filming Hallmark’s “Three Wisest Men” movie this month.
Andrew Walker, Tyler Hynes & Other Hallmark Channel Stars Are Featured in Countless Fabricated Reports About Their Health
For this story, EntertainmentNow reviewed dozens of fabricated Facebook posts from accounts purporting to be Hynes or Walker, including multiple AI-generated images of them looking sick or even in hospital beds, while supposedly informing their fans they were gravely ill.
Multiple YouTube videos have also been posted in August 2025, produced to imitate news reports that give false health and even death reports on Walker and fellow Hallmark stars Brennan Elliott, Jonathan Bennett, Nikki DeLoach, Kristoffer Polaha, and Alison Sweeney.
One YouTube video that EntertainmentNow uncovered (and reported) about Walker had over 3,300 views and many concerned comments from fans who believed he was truly sick.
According to an in-depth report by NBC News in late July, AI-generated news reports are on the rise and becoming a significant problem — not only for celebrities, but even for established news outlets to decipher fiction from fact. Google, which owns YouTube, is developing tools to identify videos made with AI, but NBC said the software is not yet sophisticated enough to help the general public.
Hallmark Channel & Its Stars Continue to Warn Fans of Online Scams
Hallmark Channel and its stars have tried many times to dissuade fans from getting drawn into such scams by posting warnings and links to the actors’ only legitimate social media accounts.
Walker, for instance, has one official Instagram account with nearly 200,000 followers and an official Facebook fan group with over 16,000 members.
Hynes also only manages one Instagram account with close to 200,000 followers. He provides a list of legitimate links to merchandise and events in his bio section, where he also alerts fans, “All other links are fake. Please stay safe from scammers 🙂 I don’t private message anyone. 🤍”
In an August 1 post, Hallmark reminded fans, “Our Hallmark stars will never contact you directly for any reason. To stay connected, please follow their official social handles, avoid any engagement with imposter accounts, and report any scams to Facebook/Instagram. We love & appreciate your support!”
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Andrew Walker Assures Fans He’s ‘Fortunately Healthy’ as New Hoax Targets Hallmark Channel Stars