unilad homepage
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • World News
    • Crime
    • Health
    • Money
    • Sport
    • Travel
  • Film and TV
    • Netflix
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Woman scammed out of retirement money after being ‘catfished’ by Bee Gees’ Barry Gibb impersonator

Home> Community> Life

Updated 21:17 6 Oct 2023 GMT+1Published 19:54 6 Oct 2023 GMT+1

Woman scammed out of retirement money after being ‘catfished’ by Bee Gees’ Barry Gibb impersonator

Woman who thought she was sending money to the BeeGees' Barry Gibb ended up losing thousands of dollars to a fraudster

Niamh Shackleton

Niamh Shackleton

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover
Featured Image Credit: YouTube/Catfished/Lester Cohen/WireImage

Topics: Celebrity, Life

Niamh Shackleton
Niamh Shackleton

Niamh Shackleton is an experienced journalist for UNILAD, specialising in topics including mental health and showbiz, as well as anything Henry Cavill and cat related. She has previously worked for OK! Magazine, Caters and Kennedy.

X

@niamhshackleton

Advert

Advert

Advert

A woman who thought she was romantically involved with Barry Gibb ended up losing a large chunk of her retirement plan.

In a recent episode of Scamfish shared on the YouTube channel Catfished, Bee Gees fan Wanda explained that she wanted to double check that the man she'd been speaking to was really Gibb.

"I know he really loves me," she told the hosts - but little did she know she'd been sending thousands of dollars to a fraudster.

Advert

As to how Wanda came in contact with the person pretending to be Gibb, she explained that she was browsing one of the Bee Gees Facebook fan pages when an option came up to chat to him.

Initially she thought it was suspicious, but upon chatting to the person they started having 'intimate' chats and even discussed meeting up.

The real Gibb has been married to his wife Linda Gray since 1970 and, with this in mind, Wanda questioned his relationship status.

Wanda was lead to believe she was sending money to Barry Gibb.
Catfished/YouTube

Apparently the catfish said he was leaving his wife for her and even told Wanda to start searching for homes for them to live in in Oregon.

The person pretending to be Gibb then urged Wanda to transfer $11,000 to this realtor Aaron Williams, which came from her retirement fund.

The scammer then said they couldn't afford to divorce Gray, so they set up a fund raiser and managed to get over $16,000 from fans who weren't aware that it was a scam - just like Wanda.

The fake Gibb continuously refused to speak to Wanda over the phone or on video call, but her 'gut feeling' made her believe it really was the Bee Gees star.

Barry Gibb is the last living member of the Bee Gees.
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Image

But it appears as if this person wasn't the only one pretending to be Gibbs as his son Stephen took to Facebook to warn people that there had been a series of fraudsters pretending to be his famous father.

Upon getting in touch with the Scamfish team, Wanda was urged to stop sending money to the individual she thought to be the 'How Deep Is Your Love' hitmaker.

The programme managed to track down the accounts for the so-called relator to be someone in Lagos, Nigeria.

In the wake of their discovery, Wanda has blocked all the Gibb accounts she had and changed her bank details.

Wanda was told that she should file a police report about the ordeal, with the Scamfish team saying they would turn over their evidence to the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) in a bid to help the investigation.

Choose your content:

a day ago
2 days ago
  • Getty Stock Images
    a day ago

    Exactly how much you need to earn to be considered 'rich'

    A new study has revealed exactly much money you need to earn in each state to reach the top 10 per cent

    Community
  • Getty Stock Images
    a day ago

    Every parent should know these concerning phrases and codes children are using

    The Birmingham school in the UK sent out a letter to all parents concerning their kids using social media

    Community
  • Instagram/@bryanjohnson_
    a day ago

    Biohacker Bryan Johnson and partner post bizarre update on their sex life that raises questions

    The American entrepreneur's blunt tweet left some people scratching their heads

    Community
  • Getty Stock Images
    2 days ago

    Hospice nurse shares four confessions people often make on their deathbed

    The confessions involve a lot of regret...

    Community
  • Woman who believed she was a pedophile before being diagnosed with medical condition reveals update after speaking out
  • British woman detained by ICE while holding newborn opens up about the distressing nightmare she suffers
  • Woman, 77, living out her retirement on a cruise ship reveals biggest drawback to life at sea
  • Trump's 'out-of-touch' granddaughter Kai called out after revealing her 'dream job'