Ritchie Blackmore Impersonator Scammed Around $184,000

In a shocking twist, one of Ritchie Blackmore’s former classmates has fallen victim to a scam, losing nearly $184,000 to someone pretending to be the legendary guitarist from Deep Purple. Valerie Horwood, who is battling terminal cancer, was conned over three years, sending Apple gift cards to the fraudster who connected with her through Facebook. The scammer lured Horwood into believing she was making investments through messaging apps, making it easy for them to exploit her.

Valerie’s daughter, Debbie, told The Sun:

“My mum is not a stupid old lady.
“She is very streetwise and very switched on. She was probably quite lonely. She was enjoying the chats that they were having. It is quite heartbreaking that she was sucked in.”

Discovering the Truth

The truth came crashing down when Horwood, facing financial difficulties, turned to her family for help. That’s when Debbie discovered her mother’s life savings had vanished. Debbie explained:

“She was pulled into a false sense of security thinking she had this really good friend who was a famous person.
“She really did not believe us when we told her that it was a scam.”

As Valerie’s financial situation spiraled, she became so overwhelmed that she reportedly attempted suicide. Debbie shared:

“Her world just completely fell apart.
“She couldn’t comprehend what had happened. It is a hard thing to take on that you have just given all of your money away to a scammer.”

Plea for Justice

The police are now investigating this devastating case in the U.K., and a fundraising page has been set up to help Valerie recover her lost savings. With cancer affecting her pancreas, liver, and spleen, the urgency to restore her funds is even greater. Debbie emphasized:

“We are fighting for justice for my mum and to recoup her money so that she can decide what she wants to do with it in her time left.
“My mum may need to go to a nursing home soon, and that’s what she could be using her money for—not for some scammers to go and buy a Rolex watch or a smart car.”