'Keanu Reeves' Romance Scam Drains Widow's Life Savings
At first, it felt like something out of a dream. A Hollywood star, a flurry of flattering messages, even a video call with that unmistakable face. For Dianne Ringstaff, a widow navigating the emotional wreckage of recent loss, it was easy to believe love had found her again — this time in the form of none other than Hollywood superstar Keanu Reeves. But over two years, that dream unraveled into something far more chilling.
A Familiar Face, A Fabricated Romance
Ringstaff, a Florida resident, told FOX 13 that the scam began in a casual, almost unremarkable way — through the game "Words With Friends."
That's where a user claiming to be Reeves messaged her. Initially skeptical, she became convinced after seeing video and hearing audio messages that mimicked the actor's look and voice. What followed was a two-and-a-half-year digital romance.
During that time, the person behind the messages spun elaborate stories of lawsuits, drug frame-ups, and frozen bank accounts.
Each crisis was punctuated by pleas for money.
The scammer asked for Bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and eventually so much more. Ringstaff took out a home equity loan and sold her car. Her final losses? Over $160,000.
But money wasn't the only thing she lost. "I was vulnerable, I just lost my boyfriend. And then later that summer in 2022, my dog died ... I just hope that nobody is as stupid and naive as I was," she told FOX 13.
Not an Isolated Case
Ringstaff is not alone. Katherine Goodson, a 67-year-old widow from San Diego, had a nearly identical experience — even with the same supposed celebrity. Goodson, who lost her husband in 2007, thought she had found a second chance at love when she received a message from someone claiming to be Reeves. Over two years, she sent the impersonator more than $60,000 in cash, gift cards, and Bitcoin, believing they were building a real relationship.
Eventually, when her funds ran out, the once-charming messages turned cruel. The fantasy crumbled, and she found herself living in her car. According to the New York Post, she said, "It was just a mess. It was mind-boggling to the point that I didn't know my head from anything."
But despite her hardship, she's been public about her story to warn others — a brave act of service in a growing epidemic of digital deception.
The Celebrity Scam Boom
According to the FBI, romance scams follow a standard playbook — fake identity, rapid relationship-building, eventual financial requests. But deepfake technology and AI tools have added a disturbing layer of realism to these scams. It's not just chat messages anymore. Now scammers can send AI-generated videos and voice messages that are eerily convincing.
In fact, impersonating celebrities has become a trend. In 2024, a woman in France lost $850,000 to a scammer pretending to be Brad Pitt. And in the US, more than $1.1 billion was lost to romance scams in 2023 alone.
Why celebrities? Because they offer both familiarity and fantasy. Scammers exploit the parasocial relationships we form with public figures — and when you're lonely or grieving, the illusion can feel real.
Who's at Risk?
These scams don't target any one group, but older adults, especially widows and retirees, are particularly vulnerable. According to Meta's own internal data, many scams are operated from abroad and rely on romance, military impersonations, and investment schemes tailored to exploit personal pain points.
Rachel Tobac, an ethical hacker and CEO of SocialProof Security, put it bluntly in a recent Newsweek interview, saying, "Scammers try to trick you when you're down."
Aftermath and Warnings
Ringstaff has not seen justice — yet. No arrests have been made, and investigators recently informed her that the scammers funneled money through her accounts from other victims. That revelation hit hard.
"I just broke down and cried," she recalled to FOX 13.
Still, she's sharing her story, hoping it spares someone else. "I just want to let people know not to be naive and stupid and do your research and don't give anybody your personal information unless you already know them," she said to FOX 13.
References: Scammer pretending to be Keanu Reeves bilks Bay Area woman out of $160K | Keanu Reeves scammer swindles widow, 67, out of life savings in romance fraud | FBI Romance Scams Overview | No, That's Not Brad Pitt: How Romance Scammers Target the Lonely Online
