Emmerdale's Lisa Riley loses £10k in Stevie Wonder ticket scam she bought to treat her late mum

From the Newshound archive · first published 25 September 2026 · last updated 26 September 2026.

Lisa Riley, who plays Mandy Dingle in Emmerdale, told Good Morning Britain she was scammed out of nearly £10,000 while trying to buy Stevie Wonder tickets as a gift for her late mother Cath, who "idolised" the singer. The actress, 50, found a "VIP package" website after tickets sold out in two hours, called it "flawless" before her bank flagged the fraud. Riley has since warned of a separate ESTA visa scam, saying fraudsters could "make up a passport" in her name.

Cath Riley, who died aged 57 from cancer in 2012, idolised Stevie Wonder — making the £9,600 loss "heartbreaking".

Scammers burned through the stolen cash on "loads of different things" including car lessons in a very short time.

Riley says she eventually recovered the money through insurance but still feels "petrified" her personal details are out there.