Emmerdale's Lisa Riley warns scams 'can happen to anyone' after losing £9,600 in Stevie Wonder ticket fraud for late mum

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

Lisa Riley, who plays Mandy Dingle in Emmerdale, revealed she lost £9,600 to fraudsters while trying to get Stevie Wonder concert tickets for her late mother, Cath, who "idolised" the singer. Her bank flagged suspicious activity after scammers made numerous purchases with the money in rapid succession. Riley, 50, said she eventually recovered the sum through her insurance, but remains "petrified" her personal details are still circulating online.

The ticket site looked "flawless" — Riley said she examined the whole page and found no warning signs before entering her card details.

Riley was also separately tricked by a fake ESTA travel permit website, handing over personal information she fears could still be used to impersonate her.

The Bury-born actress, who has since become the first Emmerdale actor to receive an MBE, urged the public to "automatically presume that it is going to be a scam."