FRAUD FEARS
‘Never will I contact you’, cries Irish music icon ‘begging’ fans not to send money after meeting online scam victim
This comes after bogus fan clubs claimed to be linked to Daniel
SINGER Daniel O’Donnell is “begging” fans not to send him money — after meeting more who were scammed online.
Fraudsters are constantly trying to hoodwink the singer’s millions of devotees worldwide into donating cash by making them think they are engaging with the star.
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Last year, following the death of his mother-in-law Marion Roche, hoaxers set up a fake online page and pretended to be Daniel to con fans offering condolences.
The Donegal star’s latest warning comes after he met a US fan in Ohio who was conned out of money. Like many others, she thought she was chatting to the star online.
Once fans think they are talking to him, scammers are then asking for donations directly to Daniel or to charities via fake pages they have set up online.
Daniel supports many charities, including the Relay for Life cancer charity, which he and his wife Majella are patrons of.
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But he warned: “I just want to impress upon you again not to engage with anybody who contacts you. I just met a lady here in Ohio who has been scammed and has sent money to somebody pretending to be me.
“Please, I beg of you, don’t engage with anyone on Facebook or messenger or any other way.
“I will not contact you personally and I will certainly not ask you for money for me or for foundations or for anything.
“Absolutely never will I contact you personally.
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“So please, please, if anyone contacts you saying they are me, then delete them immediately.”
Earlier this year, many fake social media accounts in his name repeatedly popped up, in which scammers have made bogus requests for charity donations and attempted to sell counterfeit meet-and-greet tickets.
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Fan club secretary Suzanne Fiordelisi wrote: “Over the last few months I have received an increased amount of emails which is now becoming daily from fans thinking Daniel has contacted them via WhatsApp and (Facebook) Messenger.
“Daniel would never be sending any direct messages via these apps, nor would Daniel be asking for money/Apple gift cards or any other means of currency.”
She also warned readers to be on their guard for bogus fan clubs claiming to be linked to Daniel.
Ms Fiordelisi added: “Please be aware as there are unfortunately people out there ready to act in a fraudulent manner.”
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