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Helen Mirren reveals she has been targeted by scammers who used her name to front a false charity as she urges her followers to ‘keep alert’

BBG News

Actress Helen Mirren disclosed that she’s fallen victim to con artists, who exploited her identity to promote a fake charitable organization.

The actress, 79, urged her fans to ‘keep alert’ as she posted to her Instagram on Tuesday.

As an ardent admirer, I’d like to share some intriguing news: It appears someone has been impersonating me, sending out messages requesting substantial funds. Quite a conundrum, isn’t it? I assure you, it’s definitely not me asking for such favors!

She posted on her social network: “WARNING! Impostors are using my name for a fraudulent charity. They’re sending out emails claiming to be from me, promising a substantial amount of money if you reply to helenmirrencharity@gmail.com. This is a scam, please be cautious.

‘THIS IS NOT ME and it is not my email address, please beware and do not respond, this is a scam. 

The email originated from drogogo91@gmail.com, emphasizing it was about the real charity organization Look For The Stars for authentication purposes. Stay vigilant – Many thanks, Helen.

Six years have passed since the incident when Helen felt deeply embarrassed and ashamed, having been tricked by a fraud that led her to send funds in expectation of receiving an unidentified reward.

During the promotion of her movie “The Good Liar,” the London-born Oscar winner portrayed a wealthy widow who was a victim of a deceitful swindler, embodied by Sir Ian McKellen.

In the course of a conversation on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, host Jane Garvey implied that the actress is shrewd enough to avoid being deceived or tricked.

However, it came as a shock to both Dame Helen and her audience when she disclosed that she had previously been deceived by an American con artist.

She confessed that she had fallen victim to a fraud. What made it particularly unpleasant was her intense embarrassment about the situation, as one might feel ashamed when tricked in such a way, fearing judgment from others due to its humiliating nature.

Helen shared that while she was in America, she got a phone call announcing that she had been awarded a prize.

She remembered thinking, “They did it remarkably well, yet something about it made me uneasy.” Upon answering the phone, they exclaimed, “I’ve found her! I’ve found her!” They continued, “We’re thrilled beyond words to tell you that you’ve won this prize!

In other words, I asked, “Did I need to send money?” What puzzled me was that I hadn’t realized before that sending money was a condition for receiving the prize.

Furthermore, they would give me those items in exchange, and true to their word, I received them – not that I was left empty-handed. What they gave me were peculiar items such as a 3D camera, a memory I still hold onto, and a replica diamond tennis bracelet. Simply put, the items were quite unusual.

‘But I was suspicious, and I said, “Where are you phoning from, the company, where is it based?”

In response to their statement about being based in New Orleans, I asked for their address out of curiosity. They provided the address, and since I was planning to visit New Orleans the following week, I mentioned that I would stop by their location during my trip.

‘nd they sort of went all a bit pear-shaped when I said that.’

Inquired about her belief that the con artists were aware of her celebrity status, Helen responded negatively, stating that she might as well have been any ordinary person.

‘I was scammed, definitely,’ she concluded.

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2025-06-24 17:04

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