Celebrity Impersonation Scams

A 49-year-old school worker from Wiltshire was scammed out of £33,000 by someone impersonating Hollywood actor Bradley Cooper on a fake Facebook page over the course of two years. The scammer built an emotional connection, initially requesting money for a trip to Paris and eventually claiming he needed funds for various emergencies, before the victim realized the deception when the fake Bradley failed to show up for a planned Center Parcs trip three days before Christmas. This case is part of a rising trend of celebrity romance scams, with police reporting a 29% increase since 2024, with other victims losing even larger sums after being conned by scammers impersonating Brad Pitt

Access Bank launched a financial crime awareness campaign called "Spot the Scam" targeting Nigerian students to educate them on identifying and avoiding fraud schemes, which commonly include fake giveaways, job offers, celebrity impersonation, and investment scams. The campaign, running through December 2026, was prompted by concerns about young Nigerians' involvement in financial crimes, including a December 2024 incident where 792 young people were arrested for romance scams, hacking, and money laundering targeting overseas victims. The initiative includes nationwide financial education and a debate competition for secondary schools in Lagos State to help young people avoid becoming victims or perpetrators of financial crimes.

A Canadian mother fell victim to a celebrity romance scam where a fraudster impersonated actor Keanu Reeves, convincing her to send money and cellphones while moving their communication to private WhatsApp chats. The scammer used fake passports and AI-generated content to establish credibility, exploiting the victim's loneliness and the actor's well-known generous reputation. According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, romance scams drain tens of millions of dollars annually from Canadians, with experts recommending victims report incidents to police, freeze accounts, and approach affected family members with empathy rather than confrontation.

Investment fraud reports surged 37% with victims losing an average of £25,000 each, totaling £991 million in losses during 2025, according to the National Crime Agency. Criminals use fake companies, celebrity endorsements, and social media to promote schemes including share sales, cryptocurrency investments, and recovery fraud, often disappearing when victims attempt withdrawals. The NCA and Financial Conduct Authority urge people to verify firms using the FCA checker and warn against recovery scams targeting previous fraud victims.

A 63-year-old Pennsylvania woman lost $384,000 in a romance scam after being contacted on TikTok by someone impersonating an up-and-coming country star. The scammer moved their conversations to the encrypted messaging app Telegram and repeatedly requested large sums of money via Apple gift cards. This case illustrates how romance scams targeting vulnerable individuals, particularly those less tech-savvy, can result in devastating financial losses.

A 64-year-old Pennsylvania man lost $42,700 in March to a scammer impersonating WWE star Rhea Ripley through an unknown contact method. Celebrity impersonation scams typically involve building relationships through fake social media accounts before requesting money for emergencies or travel. No arrests have been made, and the victim has declined to cooperate with Pennsylvania State Police.

A 64-year-old Pennsylvania man lost $42,700 in March 2026 to a scammer impersonating WWE star Rhea Ripley, with few details available about how contact was made or the victim's persuasion. This incident is part of a broader pattern of celebrity impersonation scams targeting older adults, including a 2024 case where a 74-year-old lost nearly $1 million to someone posing as WWE star Alexa Bliss. No arrests have been made, and the victim has refused to cooperate with police investigating the fraud.

Access Bank Plc launched a "Spot The Scam" financial crimes awareness campaign targeting teenagers aged 12-16 in Nigeria, prompted by rising cases of young people becoming victims or perpetrators of fraud including romance scams, hacking, and money laundering. The initiative, running until December 2026, combines financial crime education with a debate competition for secondary schools in Lagos State, teaching youth to recognize manipulation, question suspicious requests, and seek help when encountering fraudulent activities. The campaign addresses common fraud methods targeting young people such as fake giveaways, celebrity impersonation, fake job offers, and investment scams.

A woman in her late 30s lost 35 million won ($23,700) in a romance scam involving someone impersonating South Korean actor Lee Dong-wook over an eight-month online relationship conducted entirely through social media. The scammer manipulated the victim into believing they were romantically involved and in a relationship, eventually convincing her to send money under the false pretense of clearing customs fees for a package worth 700 million won. The incident is part of a broader trend of celebrity impersonation romance scams targeting fans, with Lee's management agency warning that its artists never solicit money or personal information through private messages.

A woman in her 30s lost 35 million won to an imposter account claiming to be actor Lee Dong-wook over eight months, after being manipulated through a romance scam involving fake gifts and customs fees. The scammer used AI-manipulated photos and posed as the actor on social media, exploiting the victim's fandom and romantic relationship with the fake account while instructing her to keep the financial transactions secret. Lee Dong-wook's agency, King Kong by Starship, issued a public warning that their artists never request money through personal messengers or social media accounts and urged fans to report suspected impersonation accounts.