A scammer impersonating Ronnie Wood tried to con a woman out of £6,400.
Mary Downey – a casting director who worked on ‘Star Search’ – has revealed that after leaving a birthday message on the Rolling Stones star’s official Facebook page, she was contacted by a person claiming to be Ronnie, who duped her into believing she was corresponding with the musician.
Mary told the New York Post’s Page Six: "Being in show business, I talk to celebrities a lot, and thought nothing of it. [The relationship] was romantic, but it never got sexual. It was [him saying] how much he loves me."
Ronnie, 73, is happily married to Sally Humphreys, 42- the mother of his twins Gracie and Alice – but the scammer told Mary that he was getting divorced and needed a loan to pay real estate fees.
He claimed that if he got the money from the bank, the press would be tipped off about the split but Mary revealed that once he started pushing for her for account information, she knew it was a ruse.
She said: "I knew it was a con. At night, it scared me because I didn’t know if there was someone outside my house. It really began to affect my health."
And the casting director is going public to "bring attention to this epidemic of fraudulent activity sweeping the world".
Meanwhile, Ronnie previously battled addictions to drugs and alcohol, but these days, enjoys a much quieter life with Sally and their twins.
He said: "Sally was never bossy, and like, ‘You’ve got to stop’. She appreciated me both ways, but much more now I don’t smoke, drink and drug.
"It’s a daily process staying sober. I have my meditation books, and start the day with a plan. One day at a time is fine."
And Ronnie – who has four adult children from his two previous marriages – is determined to make the most of every minute.
He said: "Every day, every hour, now, is like, ‘Yes!’ You’ve got live life to the full."