She Thought She Was Talking to a Famous 'Yellowstone' Actor — But It Was a $62K Scam
A woman from Evanston, Ill., reportedly lost $62,000 after a con artist used the likeness of Yellowstone star Kevin Costner's name and image.
According to Chicago's WGN 9, the woman spent six months communicating with someone she believed was Costner via the messaging app Telegram. The impersonator convinced her that she was making an investment, claiming that sending gift cards would be converted into cryptocurrency and eventually returned to her with profit.
But that payday never came.
Instead, she was left empty-handed, with the Evanston Police Department confirming she'd been targeted by a longtime cryptocurrency scam ring that has been active since at least 2018.
"Due to the nature of the crime, an arrest is highly unlikely," police told local news, noting that even recovering the stolen funds could be a long shot.
The woman has reportedly been advised to contact her credit card companies, but so far, she has not gotten any of her money back.
Costner isn't the only celebrity name being used in these elaborate catfish schemes. Earlier this year, a woman in Texas was scammed out of $18,000 by someone pretending to be country star in a romance-based con.
In 2024, a Vince Gill superfan lost her life savings and retirement to a similar online hoax — a scam so emotionally and financially destructive that it fractured her relationships with friends and family.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), when a celebrity contacts you on social media and asks for money, there are certain steps one should take:
Slow down. Before you send money, talk with someone you trust.
Do some research: search online for the celebrity's name plus 'scam.' Do the same with any charity or cause they're asking you to support—and learn more about charity scams here.
Never send money, gift cards or prepaid debit cards to someone you don't know or haven't met – even celebrities you meet on social media.
If you sent money to a scammer, contact the company you used to send the money (your bank, wire transfer service, gift card company, or prepaid debit card company). Tell them the transaction was a fraud. Ask the company to reverse the transaction, if it's possible.
Report your experience to the social media site and to the FTC.
She Thought She Was Talking to a Famous 'Yellowstone' Actor — But It Was a $62K Scam first appeared on Parade on Jun 11, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
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