A mother-of-two has been left homeless after handing over £250,000 to Instagram romance scammers posing as Hollywood heartthrobs and pop stars.
Jennifer Barton, 44, fell for fraudsters who told her they ‘loved her’ while posing as actors Alexander Ludwig and Charlie Hunnam, as well as Westlife‘s Nicky Byrne and US singer Michael Ray.
Over the course of two years, NHS worker Ms Barton was scammed by the fraudsters on four different occasions, and was eventually convinced to sell her house and car.
She is currently living in an HMO, waiting for emergency housing and says she has ‘run out of money’.
Ms Barton said that two of the scammers told her they ‘wanted to meet’, claiming they were trapped in messy divorces, and insisted they needed cash fast.
She said: ‘People were reaching out on Facebook and Instagram, saying they were celebrities like Alexander Ludwig and saying they wanted to meet.
‘They wanted to chat on Telegram as it was more private. Some said they were going through divorce and didn’t have their own money.
‘It was one excuse after another. One said they were arrested, another was let out of their contract, one was in London and got robbed.
Jennifer Barton, 44, (pictured) fell for fraudsters who told her they ‘loved her’ while pretending to be stars such as Alexander Ludwig, Charlie Hunnam, Westlife’s Nicky Byrne and US singer Michael Ray
The nightmare began when an Instagram account claiming to represent Vikings star Alexander Ludwig (pictured) messaged her
Another scammer pretending to be Charlie Hunnam (pictured) also promised romance but blew his cover on a video call when he ‘clearly had a different accent’
‘They all told me that they loved me and wanted to marry me, wanted to come to England and be with me.’
In a heartbreaking admission, she said: ‘There was an addictiveness, when someone gives you attention, even if it’s a scammer, it’s nice. They play on your feelings.’
The nightmare began when an Instagram account claiming to represent Vikings star Mr Ludwig messaged her.
‘At the start, it was general everyday kind of chat with a bit of flirtatiousness,’ Ms Bartn said.
However, conversations quickly turned into sob stories and cash demands.
She said: ‘It was within a month or so he asked for money. He asked for around £3,000 for court fees.
‘You are hoping that the guy is legit. I did wonder if I had gone too far, but I got addicted to spending this money.
‘I have this attention from someone and I am liking this attention.’
Over the course of a year, she sent him £6,000 in cash and another £6,000 in bitcoin.
She said: ‘I was seeing his pictures on Instagram with his wife, and I questioned him and he told me to not believe “everything you read on social media”.
‘I felt like such a fool.’
Last year, another Mr Ludwig impersonator scammed her for more than £100,000, telling her he needed it to ‘catch’ the original fake.
Another scammer pretending to be Mr Hunnam also promised romance but blew his cover on a video call when he ‘clearly had a different accent’.
Then came a con artist posing as singer Mr Ray, who pressured her to sell everything she owned.
Then came a con artist posing as singer Michael Ray (pictured), who pressured her to sell everything she owned
Ms Barton was scammed on four different occasions by frauders prenting to be heartthrob celebrities such as Westlife’s Nicky Byrne (pictured)
Over the course of two years, NHS worker Ms Barton was targeted by romance fraudsters who eventually convinced her to sell her house and car. She is currently living in an HMO, waiting for emergency housing and says she has ‘run out of money’
‘Michael Ray sent me a pic of himself which matched up with his Instagram,’ Ms Barton said.
‘His game was that he had a charity that could help me cover my bills for a few months and I had to send him some money.’
The scammer told her he’d send £140,000, but instead bled her dry.
She said: ‘I sold the house and I spent all the money. I got £111,000 and then apart from a bit for a hotel and a hire car, the vast majority went on him.
‘He said I would be able to get a new house with the money and he was reassuring me that everything was going okay.’
Ms Barton says she finally realised the truth before Christmas when he constantly refused to meet.
She is now speaking out to warn others about the dangers of falling for online romance fraud.
‘I ran out of money, I’m currently homeless at the moment,’ Ms Barton.
‘For anyone facing anything similar, just reach out to family and friends. Especially if they’re asking you for money.
‘One of them sent me gifts and a picture I had done on a canvas. He also sent a mug with his face on.’
Action Fraud has reviewed Ms Barton’s case under its Report Fraud Analysis Service at the City of London Police.
It added that the case will be reviewed based on information from new reports submitted to Report Fraud until there is enough for a case.
Ms Barton has also enlisted CEL Solicitors to help her recover some of her money.
CEO Jessica Hampson said: ‘Cases like this are much more common than people realise.
‘It’s easy to think that something like this could never happen to us, but the truth is, those who prey on vulnerability are skilled at exploiting people’s emotions and fears.
‘They know how to manipulate trust, slowly wearing down people’s defences.
‘It’s not just about money, it’s about protecting your well-being, as the emotional toll of a scam can be just as devastating as the financial loss.’
