A heartbreaking story from Florida has gone viral after a woman revealed she was scammed by someone pretending to be Hollywood star Keanu Reeves.
According to Herald Online, Dianne Ringstaff, who lives in Florida, shared how the fraud began while she was playing a mobile game. A message popped up, followed by a video call that convinced her she was speaking with the real Keanu Reeves.
The scam, which has now gone viral on social media, went on for over two and a half years. During this time, the Keanu Reeves impostor built a friendship with Ringstaff, using fake calls and messages to gain her trust.
Eventually, the person pretending to be Keanu Reeves claimed he was in serious trouble. The scammer said that Reeves was being sued, targeted by the FBI, and had his assets frozen. He begged for financial help.
Ringstaff, still grieving personal losses, believed she was helping Keanu Reeves. She ended up taking out a home equity loan, selling her car, and sending a total of around $160,000.
Authorities later informed her that it was all fake. Not only had she been tricked, but her bank account was also used to move money from other victims.
Speaking out, Ringstaff said, “Don’t be naive. Do your research and don’t give out personal information unless you truly know who you’re dealing with.”
After getting robbed by fake Keanu Reeves, she is now determined to warn others about AI-powered romance scams. These frauds often use deepfake videos and cloned voices to impersonate celebrities like Keanu Reeves.
The use of artificial intelligence in these scams has raised concerns worldwide, with more viral cases coming to light.
Keanu Reeves himself has not commented on the scam, but his name continues to be misused by fraudsters in this growing trend of AI-based cons.
