Country music legend Daniel O’Donnell calls for action as he highlights the latest social media fraud involving his wife
In an exclusive interview, the country music superstar also hit out at Facebook and other social media platforms that are failing to crack down on criminals targeting his fans.
Daniel, who has highlighted this issue in the past, was speaking out after TV presenter Elaine Crowley this week exposed a social media scam claiming she had lost weight by giving up three foods – and posting a fake photo of Virgin Media’s popular Ireland AM host in a bid to lure potential victims.
In his own case, Daniel tells how one “vulnerable” woman in America was conned out of thousands of dollars after believing that the person she was in contact with was him and was convinced they were going to have a relationship.
Daniel says: “People think it’s me that they are talking to on Facebook and it’s very plausible. A lot of the time (the scam) is that I am going to meet them and they are going to come away with me. They send on thousands. I know of one particular person in America that got caught up in this.
“A lot of people are vulnerable and there are people who believe that. Sometimes people hang on to the strangest thread, no matter how weak it is.
“They are the people who fall prey to the scammers and they are sending the money, which they think is to me because this is the way it’s all going to work.
“Eventually, they realise that this is not a real person at all, it’s not a real account and they can’t find the person. Their money is gone and there doesn’t seem to be anything they can do about it, which is ridiculous.
“Surely to God, when they can send people to space, they should be able to find out who owns a Facebook page.”
Singer Daniel O’Donnell and his wife Majella
Today’s News in 90 Seconds – July 20th
As well as the scams, Daniel pointed out that he, along with many other celebrities, has been at the centre of numerous false and outlandish stories on Facebook and elsewhere on the internet.
“At the minute there are all kinds of stories going up about all sorts of strange things,” he says. “Last week Majella was pregnant at 65. It’s so ridiculous you’d hope people wouldn’t believe it.
“Majella laughed when she saw it because it is hilarious. As bizarre stories go, that one is top of the tree.
“In another story I was at death’s door and pictured in a hospital bed. Englebert Humperdinck had a similar story and had to make a public statement that he was perfectly healthy. Cliff (Richard) has had similar stories.
“I’ve seen other fake stories about our family, including one about Michael (Majella’s son) saying that he couldn’t have had a better stepfather and all I did for him, but, unfortunately, he couldn’t live under the same roof, which is ridiculous.
“If you try to find out the source of these stories I just think you are on a road to nowhere. There doesn’t seem to be any legislation about Facebook at all.”