Johnny Depp’s name being used in 'thousands of dollar' scam

An impersonator has been using Johnny Depp’s name to loot people.

Due to the ongoing scam, people have lost thousands of dollars. Many complaints have been launched regarding the scammer through a website named 'Gizmodo' pleading Freedom of Information of request to the Federal Trade Complaint (FTC).

People complained saying that the impersonator has been posing to be Depp for over a year. So far, the authorities have received around 197 complaints.

The victims are firstly approached on Facebook and later the scammer takes the conversation to messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Zangi.

The money exchange is done through bitcoin, Zelle, PayPal, gift cards and Coinbase.

McAfee has reported that The Tourist actor is among the popular ten actors, whose name is often used for scams. Most of the victims are of the same age as Johnny.

This kind of scam has been named as 'Pig Butchering'. The term was devised in 2010 for the first time. It involves use of flattering messages and romance to obtain money from the victims.

Other public figures who are often impersonated in such scams include Elon Musk and Donald Trump.