Kamal Ghorui
A Worcestershire mother of two has been left homeless after losing £250,000 to a network of online fraudsters who posed as well-known actors and musicians, persuading her over two years that they loved her, needed urgent help and planned a future together. By the time the deception unravelled, she had sold her home, her car and almost everything she owned.
A slow-burn deception on social media
Jennifer Barton, 44, from Kidderminster, said the scam unfolded gradually across Facebook and Instagram, where she was contacted by people claiming to be celebrities including Alexander Ludwig, Charlie Hunnam, Nicky Byrne and singer Michael Ray. “They wanted to meet,” she said. “They said they were going through divorces and didn’t have access to their own money. It was one excuse after another.”
Jennifer Barton, an NHS health care professional, has been forced to sell her house, car and give her children to their father after falling for six celebrity romances. (Pix via Emma Trimble / SWNS)
The people behind the accounts urged her to move conversations onto Telegram, telling her it was more private. What began as everyday chat, she said, soon turned intimate. “They all told me that they loved me, wanted to marry me and wanted to come to England and be with me.”
The first scam, and the hook
According to SWNS, the ordeal began when an Instagram account posing as Vikings star Alexander Ludwig contacted Barton. The NHS worker and mother of two said she was then encouraged to download Telegram, where the tone of the messages quickly changed. “At the start, it was general everyday kind of chat with a bit of flirtatiousness,” she said. “But within a month or so he asked for money. He wanted around £3,000 for court fees.” Over the course of a year, she sent that first impersonator £6,000 in cash and another £6,000 in bitcoin. When she questioned why the real actor appeared online with his wife, she said the response was dismissive. “He told me not to believe everything you read on social media. I felt like such a fool.”
Jennifer Barton was left with nothing financially as a result of the saga (SWNS)
She later realised she was being manipulated. “You’re hoping the guy is legit,” she said. “I did wonder if I had gone too far, but I got addicted to spending this money. I had this attention from someone and I liked that attention.”
Escalation, and a second impersonator
Last year, Barton was targeted again by another account posing as Ludwig. This time, she said, the fraudster claimed he needed money to “catch” the original fake. She sent him more than £100,000.
The mum was convinced she was speaking to Charlie Hunnam via Getty Images
Other supposed celebrities appeared in quick succession. A fake Charlie Hunnam promised romance but exposed himself during a video call. “He clearly had a different accent,” Barton said, and she stopped engaging.
‘I sold the house and spent all the money’
The most devastating phase came with an account claiming to be Michael Ray. Barton said the scammer sent her images that appeared to match Ray’s real Instagram account, convincing her he was genuine. “He said he had a charity that could help me cover my bills for a few months,” she said, “but I had to send him some money first.” She was told he would transfer £140,000. Instead, she sold her house. “I sold the house and I spent all the money,” she said. “I got £111,000, and apart from a bit for a hotel and a hire car, the vast majority went on him. He kept reassuring me everything was going okay and that I’d be able to get a new house.” It was only when he repeatedly refused to meet her in person that the reality became impossible to ignore.
‘I’m currently homeless’
By Christmas, Barton said she had run out of money. She is now living in an HMO and waiting for emergency housing. “I’m currently homeless at the moment,” she said. “For anyone facing anything similar, just reach out to family and friends, especially if they’re asking you for money.” She described how the emotional pull kept her trapped. “There was an addictiveness. When someone gives you attention, even if it’s a scammer, it’s nice. They play on your feelings.” One fraudster even sent her gifts, including a personalised canvas and a mug bearing his face, tokens she said deepened the illusion.
Police review and legal action
Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, has reviewed Barton’s case under its Report Fraud Analysis Service at the City of London Police. It said the case would continue to be assessed as further reports are submitted, until there is sufficient evidence to proceed. She has also enlisted CEL Solicitors, a private consumer law firm, in an attempt to recover some of her losses. Jessica Hampson, the firm’s chief executive, said cases like Barton’s are far more common than many people realise. “Those who prey on vulnerability are skilled at exploiting people’s emotions and fears,” Hampson said. “They know how to manipulate trust, slowly wearing down people’s defences. It’s not just about money, the emotional toll of a scam can be just as devastating as the financial loss.”
