Shelly, a 68-year-old retired nurse from Durham, North Carolina, found herself swept up in what she believed was a romance with Hollywood legend Kevin Costner.

After joining several Costner fan groups online, Shelly was contacted by someone claiming to be the actor himself. This “Kevin” was charming, attentive, and convinced Shelly they were engaged and planning to marry. For over a year, their relationship blossomed online, with “Kevin” sharing personal details and even sending her pictures to prove his identity.

But soon, things took a suspicious turn. “Kevin” began asking Shelly to deposit checks into her bank account, promising she could keep some of the money for herself. He claimed he needed her help to lower his child support payments and secure a lease for their future together in California. Shelly, wanting to believe in their love, complied, using the money for vet bills and other expenses.

However, the checks were often written in various names—never Kevin Costner’s—and banks quickly flagged them as fraudulent. Over time, Shelly had accounts closed at more than 20 different banks due to these suspicious transactions.

Despite mounting red flags, Shelly remained convinced she was communicating with the real Kevin Costner. Her attorney friend estimated it was a “50/50 chance” that the actor was behind the messages.

The scammer continued to demand money, insisting Shelly pay “meet and greet” fees and relocation costs totaling thousands of dollars. When Shelly hesitated or refused, “Kevin” would guilt-trip her, threaten to end the relationship, or even claim to have her address.

The emotional toll on Shelly was severe. She became anxious, depressed, and even started smoking again due to the stress. She worried about going to jail as banks investigated the fraudulent checks, and she struggled to open new accounts. Despite all this, Shelly clung to hope, believing that her online romance was real.

Seeking answers, Shelly reached out to the team at Scamfish, who launched an investigation into her case. They quickly uncovered several damning facts: the email and phone number used by “Kevin” were not connected to any public records or real accounts, except for WhatsApp. The phone number was a VoIP line, commonly used by scammers to mask their location. When they tracked the scammer’s IP address, it originated from the UK, not California.

Further research revealed that the checks Shelly received were from random individuals with no connection to Kevin Costner. Some were labeled as tax refunds, which made no sense for a multimillionaire actor.

The scammer’s explanations grew increasingly bizarre, claiming his ex-wife monitored his finances and that he couldn’t use his real name for security reasons.

After confronting Shelly with these facts, the Scamfish team explained that she had fallen victim to a classic romance scam. No legitimate celebrity would ask fans for money, send checks via strangers, or demand payment for a meet-and-greet. Worse, Shelly’s actions inadvertently helped the scammer launder stolen money, putting her at legal risk.

Devastated but grateful for the truth, Shelly realized she had been manipulated. She vowed to report the scam to authorities and learned valuable lessons about online safety.

Her story is a warning to others: never send money or deposit checks for someone you’ve only met online, no matter how convincing their story may be. Always verify identities and trust your instincts—because even the most educated and cautious people can fall victim to scams.