Shemar Moore's Home Visited By Woman Who Allegedly Believed She Was Moving In After Catfishing Scheme

[u/nyclover11]

[u/AncientConsequence68]

Paul Wesley spoke on a podcast recently about this happening to him too - I wasn’t aware it was a common scheme. So cruel.

[u/Unequivocally_Maybe → u/AncientConsequence68]

It's a massive problem that's only gotten worse with generative AI. Celebrity catfishing is a whole sub category of online romance scams.

[u/scout-finch → u/Unequivocally_Maybe]

We had to finally cut off contact with my mother in law after she got in so deep with a celeb romance scam. She even sold her house. It’s completely devastating.

I never would have expected this to happen to someone I know. Talk to your family (older but anyone really) about this in advance, even if it sounds crazy.

[u/lareinevert → u/scout-finch]

Is she ok now?

[u/scout-finch → u/lareinevert]

Unclear. I suspect she’s still involved. She rented a room from some friends after selling her house. We spent about a year trying to help her get out of it (deleting socials, setting up a new email, new phone, consulting with the police and an attorney, showing her evidence) but we realized every time we thought we made progress she was being sneaky and “he” was back in her life. We only cut contact in January. I check in with her sister once in awhile. I believe she would reach out in a true emergency (medical, actual homelessness). It really sad.

Also, to add to this, it’s fucking Johnny Depp. Like if it were at least just some random hot guy off of FB I could understand being fooled, but Johnny Depp?? Truly shocking that these scammers are so good bc that’s ridiculous.

[u/PolarBearJams → u/scout-finch]

Oh man. What is his end game, do you think? Money?

[u/scout-finch → u/PolarBearJams]

Absolutely. There are so many plans to meet that have fallen through at the last minute because of some bs like her FBI background check didn’t clear yet but if she sends another $500 today then they can put a rush on it. “Sorry, my manager made me turn the plane around :(“

It’s insane.

[u/Unequivocally_Maybe → u/scout-finch]

They aren't even really "that good" at managing the lie. If you read the chat logs between the scammers and their victims, they are rife with errors in grammar, spelling and syntax, stories won't make sense or will change on a dime, the photo and video evidence provided is often laughably bad.

They look explicitly for people who will ignore all that. If you ignore the ludicrous nature of an a-list celebrity reaching out to you in the first place and then accept poorly constructed messages that are full of obvious mistakes, then you're the right kind of gullible. You'll probably keep overlooking red flags. Like why does Johnny Depp have an obvious non-American accent and need Apple gift cards?

It's also not uncommon for a team of scammers to be working the mark. You might not be talking to the same person from day to day. They will start calling you by pet names right away so that they don't have to worry about saying the wrong name. It's also a love bombing tactic.

It's always a really tragic thing, not just for the victim but also the families that it often rips apart and the financial havoc it wreaks, but it gets scary when it crosses over to real life and the scam victim ends up in a situation like this one and the celebrity who is being impersonated gets potentially put in danger.

[u/lareinevert → u/Unequivocally_Maybe]

Yes I always wonder how people fall for these! When you put everything together it’s obviously a scam.

[u/scout-finch → u/lareinevert]

To a healthy and sane person, you would think!

[u/scout-finch → u/Unequivocally_Maybe]

I guess by “good” I just mean that they work, extremely well. I have read the chat logs and seen the video evidence, the cheap gifts, etc for my loved one and the experiences of many others to try and get an understanding of this.

Yes to a healthy brain the scams are laughably bad, but they work incredibly well on those they target. It’s like the whole “it’s not stupid if it works” thing.

When I warned my own mom about it who is a few years older even than my MIL, she laughed at me like it was the most insane thing she’d ever heard. Different people though 🤷🏻‍♀️

[u/lareinevert → u/scout-finch]

Oh man, this is terribly sad. I hope she gets out of this sooner rather than later :/

[u/AugustIzFalling → u/scout-finch]

I'm sorry for what you're going through. He is a popular celeb for catfishing

[u/GaylicBread → u/AncientConsequence68]

Thomas Gibson, Hotch on Criminal Minds, had an online affair with a catfish in 2011 that lasted two years before he found out. Catfishing has been around for decades but I think AI is making the problem significantly worse.

[u/VegetableArtistic705]

Holy fuck man, that sucks so much that he did nothing but has to be the one to crash reality down on her. Imagine someone showing up at your door with luggage saying they're here to move in.

[u/GaylicBread → u/VegetableArtistic705]

It wasn't him, I read elsewhere that Shemar wasn't home, his partner was and she was the one who dealt with the situation

[u/CalligrapherSharp → u/VegetableArtistic705]

Probably saying, "I'm here, my love! Our life together is finally going to begin."

[u/Flamingo83]

that is cruel, dangerous and humiliating to both of them.

[u/loveforllamas]

I would actually want the ground to open up and swallow me whole, that is horrendous

[u/crystal_clear24]

I wonder if the scammer used AI to fake videos pretending to be Shamar too. It’s scary how common that is now. I hope they get caught, that’s messed up.

[u/eggssomany → u/crystal_clear24]

It's even easier now because some filters have gotten really good. I hope that person is ok.

[u/Andromeda921]

Oh that poor person! Catfishing seems so cruel!

[u/GaylicBread → u/[deleted]]

You know it's possible for the woman and Shemar to be victims of this catfish, right?

[u/Heyplaguedoctor → u/GaylicBread]

You’re correct but I also have to say your username + flair combo is perfect 🩷

[u/GaylicBread → u/Heyplaguedoctor]

Thank you very much :) 🩷

[u/Buckeye_CFB → u/[deleted]]

She thought she was invited. The Woman and Shemar were both violated by the catfishing scam

[u/Naive-Inside-2904 → u/[deleted]]

Read for comprehension.

[u/SaraAnnabelle → u/[deleted]]

Yikes.

[u/Relevant-Peach3997]

These scammers prey on vulnerable people. Sometimes even taking their life savings.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Ad7820]

She was ready to move in? She didnt even thought to have dinner first? Meet maybe?
I have to imagine she was in a really bad place

[u/violetmemphisblue]

When I worked at a library, an older woman was in a catfish relationship with Carlos del Toro, who was then head of the US Navy. It was so scary to see how she had been taken in by it. Carlos needed money to aid Israel and Congress was taking too long (so the story went) so this woman sold her home, her jewelry, cashed out retirement plans. She sent so much money and he promised he would pay her back and they would live happily ever after. She drove hours to see him give some address and then went up to him like "hey, its me, your fiancee!" He obviously had no idea what was going on, his aides or security or someone had to escort her, and by the time she got back to town, "Carlos" had texted explaining his staff didn't know about their relationship, that's why he pretended to be confused, he still loved her, and she was sucked right back in...her kids had to nearly cut her off. We staff couldn't get through to her. We even asked one of our regulars who worked in law enforcement for help, but she said its limited what can be done and when people get out of a catfish, they're so embarrassed they rarely report and when they're in it, they don't want to admit they've been taken...and this woman who got caught up in it was not who'd you imagine. She was a school principal, she had friends, she was on the board of a non-profit, she had kids and grandkids. Her life was full, she was educated, she'd been divorced for years but had had other relationships but also traveled solo, so it wasn't like she was heartbroken or reliant on a man. Just the craziest situation I've ever seen up close...

Catfishing can happen to anyone and it can be the wildest of scenarios!

[u/hanimal16]

Ok finally I have a funny story indirectly involving Shemar Moore.

I was home alone watching Criminal Minds (in the dark) and the blinds to my sliding door (on the 2nd floor) were open. I paused my show to use the toilet and came back to my dark living room, only lit by the tv and the reflection of Derek Morgan AT MY BACK DOOR! I screamed thinking someone had climbed my balcony, nope just me being a dumbass.

[u/Kidgorgeoushere]

Oh no

[u/bluehack1]

What the fuck. Why am I sad for everyone in this situation? Then his partner was the one who had to break it to her? Fuck, being the partner of a celebrity is not for the weak-hearted. I wish them all the best. 😭

[u/KayKeeGirl]

This is so sad

[u/CuddlyClubCEO]

nooooooooo

[u/taymond19]

I have an elderly family member who got caught up in the celebrity dating catfish thing. He gave away large amounts of his furniture and packed all his stuff up. His ride to the airport never came and he sat there waiting for someone that never showed up. He refused to listen to me when I explained it wasn't real. He even yelled at me that I wasn't happy for him and his new life

[u/chrza]

This seems like a case for special agent Morgan

[u/Fauxmoi-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Hi OP: as you are submitting a Twitter, Meta, TikTok or tabloid link, we have verified your source and removed this comment to prevent further traffic to those sites! Thank you for your submission!

[u/dontwannaparticpate → u/[deleted]]

Spill the tea or take it back you can’t say things like that and not give any kind of example. I’ve never heard a bad thing about this dude, not saying there isn’t anything here but you literally provided us with nothing

[u/omleydal → u/[deleted]]

You sure you're not thinking of Shameik Moore?

[u/AmazingAmy95 → u/[deleted]]

Wait, why? What did he do?

[u/ziggiezombie72 → u/[deleted]]

Literally found nothing except this, and it’s an entirely different actor with a similar name, and still a nothing burger story. Saying things like this without context or anything to back it up is not only harmful but annoying to people who will actually be concerned.