A 73-year-old Waverly woman has lost $39,000 after falling victim to a celebrity romance scam, according to the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office. Chief Deputy Ben Houchin says the woman believed she was communicating with Randy Owen, the lead singer of the country music group Alabama, through the Team Apps platform.
Investigators say the scam lasted from September 2025 through June 2026. During that time, the woman repeatedly withdrew money from her account, using funds from her Social Security checks to purchase gift cards. She then photographed the cards and sent the information to the person she believed was Owen.
Houchin says the real Randy Owen has previously warned fans on social media about scammers impersonating him. Houchin says the money is unlikely to be recovered and are reminding the public that legitimate celebrities will never ask fans to send money or gift cards.
The Sheriff’s Office also encourages family members to intervene if they believe a loved one may be involved in an online romance or impersonation scam. While banks may question unusual transactions, they cannot prevent customers from accessing their own money.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source klin.com ’
