Let’s face it. Many of us dream of living a happy-ever-after with our idols. However, for one Stranger Things fan, what she thought was her little dream come true with actor Dacre Montgomery quickly turned into a horrible nightmare — one she will never forget. Here’s what happened:

A strange turn of events

A #StrangerThings fan had her life turned upside down after being catfished by a scammer claiming to be Dacre Montgomery, who plays Billy in the series.

The single mother says she left her husband for the scammer after meeting on an online forum, and even sent them nearly $10K. pic.twitter.com/0cpuQJijeK

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) August 17, 2023

Kentucky film artist and single mother McKayla was devastated after she got scammed to the tune of $10,000 (or over PHP500,000) by someone claiming to be “Dacre Montgomery,” the actor who played Billy Hargrove in the hit Netflix series Stranger Things.

In an interview with the YouTube channel Catfished, McKayla said she met the scammer at an online forum. They started talking together, which turned into a romantic relationship.

“He was venting to me after a few months about his partner, saying she’s very controlling of him,” McKayla said, explaining why she never had the chance to meet with the supposed actor face-to-face.

The partner that the scammer used in their story was Montgomery’s IRL girlfriend, Liv Pollock. This struck a chord with McKayla, as she was also having a rocky relationship with her husband at that time.

Despite her initial doubts, McKayla eventually believed everything was real after receiving poems from the catfisher resembling Montgomery’s writing style. Moreover, her belief was solidified after seeing Billy’s character in episode four of Stranger Things — something the scammer had instructed her to watch to make it appear as insider information exclusively known to her.

The Kentucky creative soon found herself sending money to the scammer, divorcing her now ex-husband, and getting caught in their web of lies.

Netizens were stumped by the whole situation

In an era where everyone is on high alert for sketchy situations like these, anyone who hears this story would be perplexed. Netizens couldn’t help but ask how McKayla could have believed everything the scammer told her. See what some comments have to say:

However, others call for compassion towards McKayla and countless other victims of the cruel scheme. They expressed that no matter how questionable their decisions were, many scam victims often suffer from unhealed traumas.

How to avoid getting scammers and catfishers online?

People with bad intentions are everywhere — whether it’s online transactions, investment deals, or even dating. So, always remember this: If something seems too good to be true, chances are, it probably is. There’s nothing wrong with meeting or interacting with people online, but exercising caution won’t hurt.

But in case you still need more advice, take this one from security expert Chris Parker: “Scammers look for a combination of financial stability and emotional vulnerability. Don’t mention financial status or any large purchases you’ve made recently, even if you’re doing well. Don’t come across as desperate, even if you sometimes feel that way. Aim to give the impression that you’re strong and unlikely to be fooled.”

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