Jon Bon Jovi impersonator uses AI videos to scam woman out of $10K, nearly costing her home

She gave love a chance. A scammer gave it a bad name.

For months, Leslie Pickett thought she was talking to Jon Bon Jovi, the rock star she had adored since she was 14. The man behind the screen messaged her day and night, sent convincing videos and eventually persuaded her to hand over thousands of dollars.

By the time the deception unraveled, she had lost more than $10,000 and came close to losing her home.

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"My heart was shattered," the Louisiana resident told Fox News Digital. "I was still willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. But there was nothing but ill intent. That's what hurt the most."

Pickett's story is featured in the National Geographic "Super Scam Me," in which Emmy Award-winning journalist Mariana van Zeller goes undercover to investigate online scams, traveling to Africa to confront a suspected scammer face-to-face.

"We're living in the era of scams," van Zeller told Fox News Digital. "Romance scams, in particular, are the fastest growing, and I believe, most devastating form of financial crime out there. One in seven Americans have reported losing money to romance scams. And so, I think now is the best time to raise awareness."

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Fox News Digital reached out to spokesperson for comment.

Pickett, who was "more of a Facebook person," was introduced to Instagram by her daughter. She came across Bon Jovi's verified account in late 2024 and commented on one of his posts. Five minutes later, she received a response from an account that appeared to belong to Bon Jovi himself. However, the account wasn't verified.

"He gave very thoughtful answers to my questions, so I genuinely thought it was him," Pickett said. "And I wasn't too knowledgeable about those check marks. I had doubts, but hey, a girl can dream."

According to Pickett, the impostor told her Bon Jovi wanted to connect with his fans more personally. He also warned that if Bon Jovi's management discovered the secret account, it would be shut down.

For months, the two exchanged messages "several times a day and several times at night," bonding over music and common interests. According to Pickett, the impostor remembered details from their earliest conversations, told her "I love you" and even sent a bouquet of flowers to her home. He also sent recorded videos, and the two eventually connected on a live video call.

Pickett, who had no idea he was generative AI to play , was convinced she was talking to Bon Jovi. The scammer also claimed that he and his wife had quietly filed for divorce but were keeping it under wraps to protect his public image.

Pickett showed the photos and videos to her cousin, who was skeptical that Bon Jovi would be in a secret relationship with a fan. But after seeing the images, he reportedly exclaimed, "That's him! There's no doubt about it."

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"It was like talking to my best friend," Pickett said. "He said he wanted to meet someone normal. He didn't want somebody that wanted fame, money and things like that. So, we didn't really talk about stuff like that. We talked about everyday life. I had my doubts, but I was praying it was him."

Months later, the man posing as Bon Jovi started asking for money.

"He had an exclusive performance , where he only let a thousand people buy tickets," Pickett recalled. "The show was legitimate. Unfortunately, I tried to buy tickets, but they sold out in four minutes. When I told him about it, he suggested a meet and greet. He had never asked me for money before. He said, 'To get you in the meet and