New Zealand Woman Loses $375K in Martin Henderson Impersonation Scam

A woman named Lea from New Zealand lost $375,000 over a two-year relationship with a scammer posing as Martin Henderson, the star of the Netflix series Virgin River. She was initially contacted by someone claiming to be Henderson's agent after posting on a fan page, and they maintained what she believed was a genuine long-distance relationship. The scammer manipulated Lea into sending large sums of money for various fabricated emergencies, including a supposed 'prison bailout' and chartering a private jet. The deception unraveled when a friend alerted her to an article showing Henderson at a biking event in New Zealand, contradicting the scammer's claims of him being hospitalized in Johannesburg. Henderson has since warned fans about such scams on his social media, emphasizing that he does not communicate through unofficial channels. This incident mirrors other celebrity-related scams, including a recent case involving Brad Pitt, highlighting the risks fans face in online interactions.