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Luke Tarrant, an adventurer who lost a leg in a motorcycle accident, has issued a strong warning against sending money to imposters pretending to be him on social media platforms. The 30-year-old, from Bedford, has a substantial following on TikTok and Instagram, totaling over 770,000 followers. He expressed deep frustration and disgust after learning that a fake Facebook page, created under his name, had successfully deceived someone into transferring their life savings.
The fraudulent page reportedly sent private messages asking for financial help, suggesting that “things have been a bit difficult lately.” Upon discovering the scam, Tarrant took immediate action by reporting the fake profile to Meta, the parent company of Facebook, which confirmed the page was removed due to policy violations. In response to the incident, he used his Instagram account to alert his fans about the increasing problem of imposters stealing his videos and creating counterfeit accounts. He cautioned his followers with a clear message: “If you’re speaking to me on Facebook, stop right now, do not send any money.”
Tarrant revealed that he is often slow to reply to direct messages and was only made aware of the fraud by his girlfriend and his gym, after a woman who believed she was helping him ended up feeling ashamed for losing her savings. He recounts that in 2024, financial support had previously been raised for him by his gym following his accident while traveling through South America, but that fundraiser was quickly shut down once it was clear no further donations were needed. Besides that, the only other time he requested money was to support gold medal Paralympian David Smith, who is battling terminal cancer.
As Luke’s online presence has grown, so too have the fake accounts impersonating him. He describes the ongoing challenge of reporting these profiles, noting they are eventually taken down but the process is slow. Additionally, he has become aware of AI technology being misused to imitate his voice in fake messages and videos, which he finds alarming. Tarrant advises everyone to exercise caution when money is requested online, particularly when communicating with public figures. “This is the new way that’s smarter at impersonating people, we all need a new level of awareness we didn’t need before. Please be careful,” he urged.
Representatives from Meta commented on the broader issue of online scams, highlighting continuous efforts to stay ahead of scammers by developing advanced detection methods. They reported that more than 159 million scam advertisements were removed last year, with the vast majority detected proactively, alongside the deletion of nearly 11 million accounts linked to scam operations. Bedfordshire Police also reminded the public to stay alert to suspicious profiles impersonating public figures or acquaintances. They stressed that these fake accounts are designed to exploit trust and manipulate individuals into giving money or sensitive information. Authorities recommend following online safety guidance and reporting suspected fraud promptly to the appropriate channels
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