Emmerdale star Lisa Riley appeared on Good Morning Britain (GMB) this morning (September 25) to warn viewers about scams.
Despite being alert to scams, Lisa Riley said she has been scammed three times, including while renewing her ESTA and buying Stevie Wonder concert tickets.
She also revealed her heartbreak after fake AI images showing her pregnant were circulated online alongside fake news stories, following four failed IVF attempts.
A family member congratulated Riley after believing the images and stories were real, while she said she “cried like a baby” when she saw them.
Lisa Riley issues scam warning amid ESTA and concert tickets fraud
Riley, who plays Mandy Dingle in Emmerdale, travels to New York every year and renews her ESTA every two years.
She knew the website and said its “flawless” page looked no different from usual, so she failed to spot the fraud.
The scammers sought her personal details so they could impersonate her and steal more money from her bank account.
When a day had gone by and she hadn’t heard that her ESTA had been confirmed like she normally would have, she said she got an email which seemed odd and realised it was fake.
How to avoid scams
She eventually got a new passport in Liverpool and urged others to “take a breath” and stay vigilant.
Riley said people should “automatically presume that it is going to be a scam” to stay alert.
When buying Stevie Wonder concert tickets for her mum, who has since passed away, she used a site that also looked “flawless.”
However, she was alerted by her bank when payments for multiple things amounted to £9,600 and were being spent on her card.
“Petrified” that her details are still out there, Riley hopes to help others avoid scams.
Also on GMB, she said she has become the first actor at Emmerdale to receive an MBE for services to drama and charity.
She is yet to collect the honour and joked that she is deciding what to wear for the occasion.
How do you stay vigilant against scammers? Let us know in the comments below.