But what about Chris Gaines? Unfortunately, scammers impersonating celebrities is nothing new. We see it all the time on our social media, with all kinds of comments on our posts pretending to be an artist posting from their “secret account” (really not a secret if they’re telling everybody, which should be your first clue that it’s a scam). It’s impossible to keep up with the number of these accounts that pop up. I try to delete the comments and block them, but every time you get rid of one of them another one comes along. It’s a never-ending battle. I’ve gotten quite a few messages from scammers pretending to be celebrities. My favorite was an account pretending to be an artist that I know personally, who I text with on a regular basis, that messaged me and thanked me for being a fan and asked my name. Gotta shoot your shot I guess. These scammers are obviously annoying, but even more concerning is that there are people who actually fall for their deception and believe they’re communicating with the artist themselves. The scammers concoct some story about how they’re not able to meet in person but they’re in love with their victim, and then they ask for money because they need it immediately and don’t have access to their bank account, or don’t want their manager to know they’re taking money out, or something ridiculous like that. It’s a real problem, because hardworking (and often elderly) people often fall for these scams and end up sending the scammer money – and there’s usually nothing that can be done to get it back. Of course it should be a little suspicious when “Morgan Wallen” asks you to send $300 in Apple gift cards or Bitcoin to someone in Nicaragua… But apparently people are still falling for these scams, and one state attorney general is warning folks that schemes like this are on the rise. Michigan attorney general Dana Nessel recently issued a warning about these scams, noting an increase in scammers impersonating celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Garth Brooks, and Michigan’s own Kid Rock: “While it may be disappointing to hear, you are probably not in a secret, long-distance relationship with Garth Brooks. Scammers are constantly coming up with elaborate schemes to steal your money and may be posing as celebrities or public officials. If someone claiming to be Garth or any other famous figure is asking you personally for money, don’t send it. It’s almost certainly a scam.” (Personally it’s a relief to find out that I’m not in a secret, long-distance relationship with Garth Brooks. Had me worried there for a second). But Kid Rock also issued a warning to his fans, reminding them that he only uses his official account and that anyone else contacting them from a different account isn’t him: Be careful. If it ain’t @KidRock it ain’t me. https://t.co/CU1shgZ1cc — KidRock (@KidRock) May 13, 2025 Another scam that I’ve been getting a lot of are the texts that call you the wrong name on purpose, trying to get you to respond to correct them and start a conversation. Something like “Hey Bob, are we still on for dinner tonight?” Then they act all embarrassed when you tell them they texted the wrong person and try to bait you into a conversation. These scammers are tricky. But at this point, you should know that when you’re communicating when someone who claims to be an artist or a celebrity on social media, chances are it’s a scammer and not really who you think you’re talking to. Be careful out there. And if you’re just now finding out that you’re not really in a relationship with Garth Brooks…well, I’m sorry to have to break the news to you this way.The post Michigan Attorney General Warns Of Increase In Scammers Pretending To Be Garth Brooks & Kid Rock: “Probably Not In A Secret Relationship With Garth Brooks” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.