A Louisiana woman lost more than $10,000 to an impostor using AI videos of Jon Bon Jovi. A video that looks real no longer proves anyone is who they say.
A Louisiana woman believed for about 10 months that she was in a relationship with rock star Jon Bon Jovi. She was not. A scammer used AI-made videos to play the singer, and she lost more than $10,000 and faced foreclosure on her home.
Leslie Pickett, a Bon Jovi fan since she was 14, left a comment on his verified Instagram account in late 2024. Within minutes, another account messaged her, pretending to be him. The impostor said he used a private account to talk to fans without his management knowing.
Over the next few months came romantic messages, flowers and personalized videos. About seven months in, he began asking for money. First came payments for a supposed private meet-and-greet through the singer's management. They started at $100 or $150, and he kept claiming they had not gone through.
Pickett had doubts, so she tested him. She asked him to pull his right ear, cross his eyes and stick out his tongue. Within five minutes, she got a video of Jon Bon Jovi doing exactly that.
That is the lesson. Asking for a custom video used to be a decent test. With AI, a fake can be made on request, so it proves nothing. Pickett also said she did not know much about the verified check marks that show an account is real.
He got her to pay through Venmo, PayPal, Cash App and cryptocurrency. In July 2025, he claimed to be visiting Louisiana and sent hotel photos she recognized. Then a supposed security-clearance video call ended abruptly, and he demanded more Bitcoin for another meeting. That is when she saw something was wrong.
A National Geographic documentary, Super Scam Me, later worked with an ethical hacker who traced the scammer's internet connection to Lagos, Nigeria.
Anyone who messages a famous person online could be a target, especially fans who comment on celebrity accounts. The payment apps named in this case are common ones, so the risk is not limited to crypto users. People who never send money to someone they have not met in person are protected from the part that does the damage.
The alert box above lists the steps to take now, including what to do if you have already paid. Pickett says she shared her story to help others avoid the same trap.
A realistic video is no proof of who is on the other end, so never send money to someone you have not met in person.
Fake PayPal emails and texts, some posing as a security report, try to get you to tap a link and type your login. Checking your account directly avoids the trap.
Read more: Got a fake PayPal message? Skip its link and check your account yourselfSecurity firm Flashpoint says criminals are trading in refund tricks, gift card fraud and hacked online stores ahead of the holidays. Shop owners should check their refund steps.
Read more: Scammers are targeting store refunds and gift cards before the holidaysMorristown police say scammers posing as bank staff are pushing people to withdraw cash, which is very hard to get back once it is handed over.
Read more: Morristown police warn of scam where fake bank staff ask for cash
