Scammer posing as Eminem tries to trick Allen Park man caring for injured grandson

Celebrity scams are common

A person who claimed to be Eminem tried to scam a local man who was looking for help to care for his injured grandson.

Frederick Mclelland from Allen Park said he got a call from who he thought was Eminem. But clearly, it was not. It was a fake. A scammer.

The connection started after Frederick’s grandson was involved in a serious accident, and he’s still recovering in a rehab center. The bills were piling up. Someone suggested reaching out to the Marshall Mathers Foundation, Eminem’s legitimate foundation. He gave the charity a call -- or so he thought at the time.

Days later, a call from Eminem -- or so he thought. After a few calls, the person posing as Slim Shady started asking for personal information -- and soon, the person would start asking for cash.

Experts believe Frederick landed on a fake foundation website and that’s how the scammer got his info.

Celebrity scams like this one are much more common than you think.

Watch Help Me Hank’s full report on this scam in the video player above.


About the Authors:

Hank Winchester is Local 4’s Consumer Investigative Reporter and the head of WDIV’s “Help Me Hank” Consumer Unit. Hank works to solve consumer complaints, reveal important recalls and track down thieves who have ripped off people in our community.

Ken Haddad has proudly been with WDIV/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters, and helps lead the WDIV Insider team. He's a big sports fan and is constantly sipping Lions Kool-Aid.