Gavin And Stacey’s Melanie Walters’ warning to others after she was targeted twice by prolific scammers and reveals the two key steps you can take to stop it happening to you

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Melanie Walters, known for her role in Gavin & Stacey, is urging people to be careful after becoming a victim of scammers not once, but twice.

The 64-year-old actress, famous for playing Gwen West on a popular BBC show, recently avoided losing a significant amount of money – potentially thousands of pounds – after receiving a scam email pretending to be from her bank. A suspicious letter arrived in the mail a few weeks later.

Melanie told the Daily Mail she relied on a gut feeling to avoid sharing personal information. She only realized it was a scam after checking with her bank about the letter she received.

The actress has offered advice to help others avoid similar issues and is working with BT Group to raise awareness about online safety. She’s also advocating for more assistance for people over 65 with managing their finances online.

Melanie found the experience really unsettling, like many others. She was relieved she didn’t lose any money, but she was shocked by how much personal information the scammers had access to – it really caught her off guard.

The celebrity said she received a letter that seemed to be from her bank, warning her that a business account she had opened had been hacked. The letter explained that someone had gained access to her personal information.

They explained that extra security had been added to her account and offered a link for a free year of credit score checks from a well-known company as a way to make up for the inconvenience.

Melanie said, “I’m sure you’re smart enough to not click links in emails. That’s the first thing to remember… just a second.”

I initially thought it might be legitimate. It seemed like a message from my bank, the address looked correct, and I wondered how a scammer would even know I had an account. I questioned if it was worth investigating further.

I was hesitant because the request to click a link seemed suspicious. Instead, I typed the website address directly into a new browser window, and it led me to a well-known, trustworthy company.

But there was something about it that really made me think, “Just hold back, Walters.”

I wasn’t in a rush, so I showed it to a friend. They thought it looked like a scam, so I decided to ignore it completely.

Six weeks after the first incident, Melanie received another threatening letter at her home. At first, the two events didn’t seem connected, but she was shocked to discover they probably came from the same fraudsters.

She explained that she’d been away for work and returned about six weeks later. What bothered her was that it felt like someone had been planning this for a long time.

Six weeks later, when I returned, I found a letter waiting for me – an actual, old-fashioned letter!

I received a strange message from a bank I’ve never used. They said someone had opened an account in my name, but they flagged it as suspicious and closed it, and they were just letting me know about the issue.

This specific letter from the bank didn’t request any action – they were simply providing information, leaving it up to us to decide what to do with it.

My first thought was that the email was legitimate, meaning my personal information had been stolen and someone was likely using it to fraudulently open bank accounts in my name here in the UK.

‘So that’s when I thought ”what do I do?” And I still had that e-mail.

I reviewed the email and realized the first thing to do was check my credit score. I hadn’t lost any money, but I wanted to be certain, and then I could figure out my next steps.

I entered the address into the new window and saw a code for a free trial or something similar. When I tried to use it, the code displayed wasn’t quite what I expected, so I realized it probably wasn’t correct.

It was evening, and I figured, like always, Walters, that nothing would happen tonight. I told him to just go to the bank tomorrow morning.

I was able to go to the bank to check on something, which is something older people might not be able to do easily. They confirmed it was a scam, and I even asked if both the email and the letter were fake, showing them both as proof.

They stated they would never send emails like this one, or offer free items from any company.

I asked about the letter again, about six weeks after the initial contact. They told me it was likely the same scammers trying a tactic to make me believe they were legitimate.

It’s common for free trials – like those offering a year or a few months of service – to require your information upfront. This often leads to an automatic subscription, and while they claim you can cancel anytime, it’s something to be aware of.

‘So I think ultimately that would have led me putting my details in and putting my card details in. 

‘I mean, that’s what I’m assuming, but of course I didn’t do anything in the end.’

Melanie expressed concern about how much personal information scammers had access to. She also noted that it’s unavoidable to share some personal details online, making it ‘impossible’ to completely protect herself.

She also pointed out that as more people use online banking, it’s become harder for those over 65 to manage their finances, especially since all five banks in her village have closed.

She added: ‘I have to get in my car and drive five miles to get to my nearest bank, which I can do.

It’s true there are still phone numbers and ways to contact people, but these days, even calls can seem unreliable. Plus, it’s not always simple for everyone to physically travel to a bank and meet with someone face-to-face.

These days, almost every company encourages you to download their app. It really does make things simpler if you do.

Honestly, I just know this is how things are going to play out, and there’s absolutely nothing I can do to change it. There’s this one app, though, I have to use for something really important to me. It’s kind of a big deal, and I’m completely reliant on it right now!

‘And I’m one of these people who don’t like changing my phones very often.

It feels like we’re constantly pressured to upgrade – whether that means downloading a new app or even buying a new phone. A lot of people, not just seniors, feel hesitant about these changes, but recognize they’re often unavoidable.

Melanie recently shared how she was targeted by scammers and is now working with BT Group and the charity AbilityNet to boost online confidence in people over 65. They’re offering in-person digital skills training to help seniors stay safe online.

Recent research shows that more than half of seniors worry about falling for online scams. Almost everyone surveyed – nearly 9 in 10 – said they’d appreciate easy-to-understand advice on how to identify legitimate online content.

I’m always looking for ways to make important resources more accessible, and recently, we did something really special. We actually brought our in-person safety courses directly to seniors by hosting sessions on a beautiful heritage steam train in Essex! It was a fantastic way to reach people who might not otherwise be able to attend, and the setting made it a truly memorable experience.

Melanie advises people to stay calm and avoid rushing a response if they receive a suspicious call or text. She warns against panicking when encountering potential scams.

I’ve saved my bank’s official account number, just in case I need it for any issues. I figured it’s good to have the correct number on hand.

Her bank contacted her by phone, but it turned out to be a scam. When she called the number back, it was unusually long.

Fortunately, she quickly found her bank’s phone number and called them right away, stopping the problem before it got worse.

My best advice is to stay calm. If someone pressures you to act immediately, warning that something terrible will happen if you don’t, that’s a sign you should be cautious.

‘Take a breath would be my advice.’

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2026-03-05 03:24