A senior citizen in San Diego is now living in his car after being scammed out of his life savings by a scammer pretending to be Keanu Reeves.
Katherine Goodson, 67, went public with her harrowing story to raise awareness about the growing number of celebrity romance scams affecting older people.
“I don't blame anyone but myself,” said the widow, who lost her husband in 2007. NBC affiliate station KNSD.
Goodson moved to San Diego in 2022, the same year he received a text message from someone claiming to be a Hollywood mogul known for films such as “Point Break'' and “The Matrix.''
Then, pretending to be Reeves, she asked Mr. Goodson to send him a $500 gift card to prove that she was not interested in him just for the money.
“I did send it, but I said, 'I want to hear your voice,' and when I heard his voice, I said, 'You're not him,' and blocked him,” Goodson told the network. told.
But then she received a message from another person claiming they were the real Reeves.
The “John Wick” star told Goodson that she felt “terrible” that she was the victim of a scam, and the two soon began exchanging messages.
The widower said they quickly fell in love through text messages.
“He wanted to marry me,” she said. “I was lonely.”
Over the next two years, Goodson corresponded with the man by text message, but always made excuses for why they couldn't meet in person.
Nevertheless, the senior transferred cash, gift cards, and Bitcoin, totaling more than $60,000 worth.
She also corresponded with unknown people through another phone number claiming to be “members of Reeves' management team.”
But by August, Goodson's funds were running out and the messages from “Reeves and his team” turned hostile.
Then she realized that she had been deceived.
“It was really confusing,” Goodson recalled. “I became so distracted that I couldn’t understand anything.”
Currently, the senior has hit rock bottom and is trying to get back on his feet while living in his car.
Goodson says she has nothing to lose by going public with her story and wants to warn others about the dangers of fraud.
“There's nothing that's ever been done to make me feel any worse,” she said sadly.
But Goodson is far from alone.
KNSD reports that romance scams caused a staggering $1.1 billion in losses across the United States in 2023.
The newspaper has reached out to Reeves' actual representatives for comment.
The “Speed” star doesn't have social media. He has been in a relationship with artist Alexandra Grant since 2017.
