Johnny Depp Is Working To Combat 'Illicit Schemes' Amid Online Scams And AI 'Illusions'

Actor Johnny Depp is looking to protect his followers from online scammers in the new year.

While wishing everyone a happy start to 2025, the "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor took a moment to remind his followers that he will never interact with fans on social media or ask them for money or other personal information.

Johnny Depp Warns About 'Intensifying' Efforts To Scam His Fans

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On Monday, January 6, the "Edward Scissorhands" actor took to Instagram to share an important message with his fans. After wishing fans a Happy New Year, he revealed that scammers have been trying to target his fans by impersonating him and members of his team.

"Sadly, it has been brought to my attention that online scammers are intensifying their efforts to target my fans and supporters," he wrote. "As part of their tactics, they create multiple, deceptive social media and email accounts impersonating me and members of my team."

Depp Warns His Followers Not To Fall For AI Illusions

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In addition to fake accounts, the "Sweeney Todd" actor also warned his followers not to fall for deepfakes that might be created through artificial intelligence. "Today, AI can create the illusion of my face and voice. Scammers may look and sound just like the real me," he warned. "But, neither I, nor my team, will ask you for money or your personal information."

"We are actively working to combat these illicit schemes," he added, reminding his followers about some safety tips that they can follow when interacting with him online.

Johnny Depp Is Not On X, Formerly Known As Twitter

The Hollywood actor emphasized that he has only one Instagram account: @johnnydepp, and any other accounts pretending to be him are just impersonators. He has the same handle on Facebook and TikTok.

Unfortunately, he is not on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. He also made followers aware that he is not on Snapchat or Discord.

Depp Does Not Interact Directly With Fans On Social Media

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Depp concluded his post with a few more warnings for fans and encouraged them to be safe online. He explained that he chooses not to interact directly with fans on any social media platforms and he will not communicate with anyone via email or chat-based platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp, Signal, or Zangi.

"I do not offer paid meetings, phone calls, club memberships, or fan cards. If you are ever asked for any money for a meeting, call, membership, or fan card, it is a scam," he wrote.

"Again, neither myself, my team, my agent, nor my family will ever contact you on my behalf asking for money or your personal information," he added, wrapping up his post with that important message.

Johnny Depp Directed A New Film In 2024

Last year, Depp released a new film that he directed: “Modi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness.” Although he missed the Rome Film Festival press conference due to a delayed flight, he still spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the film in late October.

This was Depp’s second time in the director’s chair. In 1997, he directed “The Brave,” which the actor admits “didn’t go so well.” He added, “I remember very well the comedown of the critics on The Brave, and all it did was make me understand. What do you do? You learn from that.”

Depp Has 'No Ill Feelings' After The Amber Heard Trial

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He also spoke candidly about the fallout from the Amber Heard trial, which turned his life into a media circus that he is still attempting to recover from.

“Honestly, I can sit here this very second and think about all the hit pieces, and how everybody was against me, and yeah yeah yeah he is off the map … endless stuff. I can remember it all. Went through it all. Some of it was not the most beautiful time, some of it was hilarious. Some of it was mad,” he told the outlet.

“The thing is, it simply just was, and it simply just is. So, for me, it happened. I learned, man. Everything that we experience, whether you’re given a snow cone or walking your dog, you learn something somewhere along the way,” he continued. “So I don’t have any ill feelings toward anyone. I don’t have this great reserve of hatred, because hatred requires caring. Why carry that baggage?”