A woman who believed she was messaging Hollywood star Johnny Depp has spoken out about losing thousands of pounds in a celebrity romance scam, as experts warn the festive season is a high-risk period for such fraud.
The 32-year-old victim, known as Amber, told her TikTok followers that what began as a harmless Instagram notification quickly escalated into months of emotional grooming and financial loss. The scammer moved the conversation to WhatsApp, used pet names like 'babe', and eventually persuaded her to send money for gift cards, custom fees, and a meet-and-greet. 'He made me pay £400 to £450 on PayPal to see him,' she said, adding that the money was sent as 'friends and family' to prevent recovery.
Nationwide's head of fraud operations, Annya Burskys, said romance scams are increasingly common, particularly among under-25s, but affect all ages. 'The festive period is a high-risk time. People want connection, companionship, and scammers exploit that,' she said. She advised people to pause and verify the identity of anyone they have never met in person who asks for money.
Other high-profile cases include a French woman who lost $855,000 (£649,000) after believing she was dating Brad Pitt, prompting the actor to warn fans not to respond to unsolicited online outreach. In 2024, Take That superfan Janet Smith, 64, was duped by a scammer posing as Gary Barlow, who later confessed to being a 24-year-old from Nigeria. The real Gary Barlow later invited Janet to a concert.
In February, a woman handed over £60,000 in cash at a souvenir shop in London's Oxford Street for a celebrity she believed she was dating. Police made two arrests in connection with the scam, which was operated from a backroom office. Nottinghamshire Police also issued a warning in 2023 after multiple reports of fake celebrity impersonators, including one victim who lost £5,000 to a scammer posing as TV chef James Martin.
