Woman Loses £80,000 in Jason Momoa Scam

A UK woman lost £80,000 after scammers impersonated Jason Momoa on social media, warning others to beware of online fraud

A middle-aged woman has revealed how she lost £80,000 of her inheritance to fraudsters impersonating Hollywood actor Jason Momoa. The victim, whose identity has been withheld, spoke to the BBC about the ordeal on Tuesday.

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She explained that the scammers first contacted her on Facebook, before moving their conversation to WhatsApp, claiming it was a safer, encrypted platform due to Momoa’s celebrity status. “The account looked real, it was all very clever. They manipulated me,” she said.

The woman said the scammers fostered what she believed was a romantic relationship and gradually requested money, always promising repayment.

“He’d put me in touch with other people which he said was his management. Then it was his lawyers or bank managers. Over time I spoke to loads. The first request for money was to pay for flights to travel to meet Momoa.

He said he’d pay, then I was told I needed to. They never materialised. The flights were just the start. It was one thing after another,” she explained.

By the time she had sent £18,000, she began questioning the requests but continued under the illusion of trust.

She described the experience as “the most horrible thing that’s ever happened in my life,” adding that the emotional toll of shame compounded the financial loss.

The woman hopes that by sharing her story, others may be alerted to similar scams. “I’ve lost an awful lot of money – around £80,000. You feel stupid, but I just hope by me speaking it can help others,” she said.

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Fraudsters impersonating celebrities have increasingly exploited social media and messaging apps to manipulate victims, often targeting emotionally vulnerable individuals for financial gain.