Jennifer Barton was taken in by six different con artists pretending to be the likes of Alexander Ludwig, Charlie Hunnam, Westlife’s Nicky Byrne and US singer Michael Ray
A mum has been left homeless after handing over £250,000 to Instagram scammers posing as Hollywood hunks and pop stars who told her they “loved her”. Jennifer Barton, 44, was taken in by slick fraudsters pretending to be stars including Alexander Ludwig, Charlie Hunnam, Westlife’s Nicky Byrne and US singer Michael Ray.
Over the course of two years, six heartless tricksters spun an online web of lies that eventually convinced her to sell her house and car. The mum-of-two said the fakes told her they “wanted to meet”, claimed they were trapped in messy divorces and insisted they needed cash fast.
Jennifer, from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, 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. They all told me that they loved me and wanted to marry me, wanted to come to England and be with me.”
The nightmare began when an Instagram account claiming to represent Vikings star Alexander Ludwig messaged her.
NHS worker Jennifer said: “She advised me to go on Telegram, so I downloaded it. At the start, it was general everyday kind of chat with a bit of flirtatiousness.”
But the smooth talk 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 Ludwig impersonator scammed her for more than £100,000, telling her he needed it to “catch” the original fake. Another scammer pretending to be Charlie Hunnam also promised romance but blew his cover on a video call when he “clearly had a different accent”. Then came the biggest blow when a con artist posing as singer Michael Ray pressured her to flog everything she owned.
Jennifer said: “Michael Ray sent me a pic of himself, which matched up with his Instagram. 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 fake crooner 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.”
Jennifer said she finally realised the truth before Christmas when he constantly refused to meet. She is currently living in an HMO while waiting for emergency housing and is now speaking out to warn others about the dangers of falling for online romance fraud.
She said: “I ran out of money, I’m currently homeless at the moment. 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.”
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.”
Action Fraud has reviewed Jennifer’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. Jennifer 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 wellbeing, as the emotional toll of a scam can be just as devastating as the financial loss.”
