Fans of Coronation Street and Emmerdale have recently fallen victim to scams, with fraudsters impersonating actors from these popular soaps to deceive viewers out of substantial sums of money. citeturn0search1
Emmerdale’s Lisa Riley, who portrays Mandy Dingle, revealed that scammers are misusing her image to promote counterfeit diet pills, falsely claiming rapid weight loss results. Similarly, Dan Brocklebank, known for playing Billy Mayhew in Coronation Street, shared that individuals have created fake profiles using his likeness, leading fans to believe they are communicating with him personally. These impersonators often engage with fans under false pretenses, building trust before exploiting them financially. citeturn0search6
One alarming case involved a viewer who was deceived by someone pretending to be Emmerdale’s Tony Audenshaw. This scam led the victim to believe she was in a relationship with the actor, resulting in a loss of nearly £20,000 in gift cards. Disturbingly, this individual was targeted again by fraudsters impersonating Jeff Hordley, another Emmerdale actor, who sent manipulated videos created with AI technology. citeturn0search1
These incidents highlight the growing sophistication of scams, especially with the use of advanced AI to create convincing fake content. Both Coronation Street and Emmerdale have issued urgent warnings to their audiences, emphasizing that no cast member will solicit money through social media or other channels. Fans are advised to remain vigilant, report suspicious activity, and refrain from sharing personal or financial information with unverified sources. citeturn0news18
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