Sir Billy Connolly, beloved Scottish comedian known for his warmth and wit, has issued a rare and urgent warning to his fans. Scammers are now deploying AI-generated voices and images to impersonate him—and even his wife Pamela Stephenson—to swindle money from unsuspecting supporters.
He’s made it crystal clear: if any account asks you for money, merchandise, or personal info, it’s a scam. His official Facebook page is the only verified contact point. Voice cloning tech has advanced so quickly that fraudsters can now use just a few seconds of audio—from a simple video clip—to convincingly mimic someone’s speech. That means fans have to be extra sharp before messaging back someone who appears to be their hero.
One fan remarked they’d already received over a dozen scam messages from accounts claiming to be Connolly—but none sounded even vaguely convincing. Still, such tricks play on trust, and apparently it’s more common than many of us realized.
Beyond Connolly: A Wider Ethical Crisis
This isn’t an isolated case. The rise of deepfake voice and image scams has placed celebrity impersonation in the spotlight. Research indicates a 30% surge in AI voice cloning scams in the UK just in the past year, raising alarms among experts, law enforcement, and privacy advocates.
Government officials are being urged to step up with regulations that can keep pace—because our existing laws just aren’t cutting it.
Watch for These Red Flags:
- Any unsolicited DM claiming to be a public figure.
- Shifting communication rapidly to encrypted or private apps.
- Requests for payments, “exclusive meetings,” or personal data.
- Using platforms like Facebook, X, or Telegram when the celebrity has no official presence there.
Billy closed his message with a mix of heartfelt care and characteristic humor: “Please be safe everyone. Love and cuddles, Billy.” If that doesn’t reinforce how genuine this warning is, nothing will.