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A woman, known only as Jane to protect her identity, was deceived out of approximately £80,000 by scammers impersonating Hollywood actor Jason Momoa and his associates. The fraudsters created an elaborate ruse, pretending to be not only Momoa but also his agents, lawyers, bank officials, and even his daughter. Jane, who was initially contacted through social media, described the experience as leaving her feeling “ripped to bits” and hopes her story will serve as a warning to others.
Jane initially engaged with the impersonators after they approached her on Facebook, where the account seemed authentic. “He asked me if I’d seen his films and I said ‘yes’, then he asked me to move on to WhatsApp as it’s encrypted and it’s safer as he’s a celebrity,” she recalled. Gradually, Jane’s communication expanded to include numerous individuals posed as the star’s inner circle. Over time, this network of fraudsters manipulated her into transferring large sums of money, partially drawn from an inheritance, while fostering what Jane believed was a growing romantic relationship with Momoa.
The requests for money escalated from airfare expenses to gifts for the alleged daughter’s birthday and even forged documentation to demonstrate a legitimate relationship required in a fabricated legal dispute. Jane explained, “I was told he was fighting his ex-wife for the house, and he said we needed a marriage certificate to keep the house. So I was gullible and I paid it.” Eventually, Jane started to question the endless payments, remarking, “When I got to £18,000 down I thought, ‘why am I paying for these? You’re the one with all the money, you’re supposed to be the celebrity.’” Despite her growing doubts, the scammers promised to return the funds if she sent more money, trapping her further.
After the scammers took steps to escalate the situation by impersonating a police officer and courier threatening to collect money in person, Jane contacted Northumbria Police. Officers confirmed the calls were fraudulent and have continued to provide support, although the chances of recovering the lost money appear slim. Claire Lawson, an economic crime protection officer, encouraged victims to report such crimes, emphasizing, “It’s so important to report these crimes, so we can get victims support. Don’t ever feel embarrassed or ashamed, these people who commit these crimes have no morals and the main thing for us is supporting people through the process.” Jane, who made many payments through PayPal’s “friends and family” option, now hopes her experience can prevent others from falling prey to similar scams. “Please don’t pay anyone online that you don’t know. It’s one hell of a hard lesson,” she warned
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