Heartbreak and Fraud: Woman Loses $375,000 in Fake Martin Henderson Romance Scam

This month, we’ve focused on the devastating reality of romance scams, and how much damage they can inflict, both financially and emotionally.

In a story that mirrors the pervasive nature of romance fraud, an American woman known as Lea lost over $375,000 and moved to New Zealand in the hopes of starting a life with a man she believed to be Kiwi actor Martin Henderson. Instead, she discovered she had fallen victim to an elaborate and deeply manipulative con.

While Lea had her sights on being in a committed relationship, she says that she had been in daily contact with the scammer for two years, and shared intimate details of her life.

The deception came crashing down when a friend sent her a news article showing the real Martin Henderson participating in a bike rally in New Zealand—at the same time he was supposedly hospitalized in South Africa.

"My head is all over the place, and I felt very foolish having opened my heart," Lea said. "I was severely manipulated during some very traumatic events in my life."

The scam followed a pattern seen in many high-profile romance fraud cases, including a similar scam involving a fake Brad Pitt who conned a victim out of $1.5 million.

The Sophisticated Scam Tactics and Use of AI

Lea first connected with the scammer on a fan page for Virgin River, a Netflix show starring Henderson. She received a message from someone claiming to be the actor’s agent, saying that Martin liked her comments and wanted to talk to her. What followed was a whirlwind of affectionate messages exchanged through WeChat and Telegram, ultimately leading to financial exploitation.

Despite the real Martin Henderson warning fans about imposters through his official Instagram page, the scammer assured Lea that such warnings were for others. The emotional investment and false reassurances kept her believing in the fabricated romance.

The scammer leveraged AI-generated voice messages mimicking Henderson’s voice, convincing Lea that she was loved and that they would soon be together. Meanwhile, he spun elaborate tales of corrupt bosses, frozen accounts, and an escape from Hollywood, while constantly requesting financial support.

Over time, Lea transferred enormous sums to support her fictional fiancé’s supposed troubles, including $30,000 for a private jet that was allegedly canceled when he was ‘jailed’ for breaking his contract, $10,000 for bail money, $12,000 in gift cards, $56,000 in shipping fees for a nonexistent box containing valuables, and multiple Bitcoin transfers totaling over $375,000.

Eventually, her bank flagged her transactions as potential money laundering and closed her account of 18 years.

The Emotional Toll and Warnings from Experts

Beyond the financial devastation, Lea is struggling to come to terms with the emotional betrayal. "The loss of money is painful, but the loss of what I thought was a real relationship is even worse," she told reporters at the NZ Herald.

Lea’s story echoes that of Ayleen Charlotte, a victim of the infamous Tinder Swindler. In our recent interview with Ayleen, she shared how romance scams leave victims not only financially ruined but emotionally shattered as well. The psychological trauma can take years to overcome, with victims struggling to rebuild their trust in relationships and financial security.

Ayleen emphasized that scammers use charm and persuasion to exploit deep-seated human desires for connection and love. She also highlighted the importance of raising awareness and empowering victims to speak out without shame.

You can read more about Ayleen’s story in our two-part interview for more insights into how romance scammers operate.

• Love and Lies: The Tinder Swindler’s Ayleen Charlotte talks to Bitdefender about Romance Scams (Part 1)
• Love and Lies: The Tinder Swindler’s Ayleen Charlotte talks to Bitdefender about Romance Scams (Part 2)

How to Protect Yourself from Romance Scams

1. Verify online identities – Be skeptical of online relationships, especially if the person avoids video calls or face-to-face meetings.
2. Beware of financial requests – No genuine celebrity or worthy love interest will ever ask for money, gift cards, or Bitcoin.
3. Check official warnings – If a public figure has warned about impersonation scams, take it seriously.
4. consult a friend or family member – If a relationship seems too good to be true, get an outsider’s perspective.
5. Report suspicious activity – Report fraudulent activity to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), banks and other financial institutions.

Protect Yourself with Bitdefender Scamio

Don’t let romance scammers manipulate your emotions and drain your finances. With Bitdefender Scamio, you have access to your personal scam-detector 24/7 for free. If something feels off—whether it’s a suspicious message, an unexpected link, or a request for money—ask Scamio before you act.

Scamio helps detect fraudulent messages, phishing attempts, and online scams in real time, so you don’t have to second-guess your instincts. Your newfound sweetheart sending you links or making unusual requests? Let Scamio analyze them and keep you safe.

You can also help others stay safe by sharing localized versions of Scamio with them in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Romania, Australia, and the UK

Stay one step ahead of scammers and protect yourself from falling into their traps.