Los Angeles, Jan 8 (IANS): Hollywood star Johnny Depp has taken to Instagram to warn his fans that scammers are “impersonating” him and the “deceptive social media and email accounts”.

Depp wrote on Instagram: “Happy New Year, Everyone – Sadly, it has been brought to my attention that online scammers are intensifying their efforts to target my fans and supporters. As part of their tactics, they create multiple, deceptive social media and email accounts impersonating me and members of my team.

“Today, AI can create the illusion of my face and voice. Scammers may look and sound just like the real me. But, neither I, nor my team, will ask you for money or your personal information.

“We are actively working to combat these illicit schemes. (sic)”

He then listed the handles of his official accounts on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

The actor, who has more than 28 million followers on the photo-sharing app, noted that he doesn’t “interact directly with fans on any social media platforms, via email, or via chat-based platforms”.

He posted: “I am not on X/Twitter, Snapchat, or Discord 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.

“I do not interact directly with fans on any social media platforms, via email, or via chat-based platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp, Signal or Zangi. Again, neither myself, my team, my agent, nor my family will ever contact you on my behalf asking for money or your personal information. “JD and team.X (sic).”

The Golden Globe-winner began his career as a musician. He made his feature film debut in the horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street in 1984 and appeared in Platoon in 1986.

He was then seen in iconic films such as Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.