Cruise Guests Warned as Popular Personalities Are Impersonated by Scammers

Cruise passengers are being urged to stay vigilant as scammers impersonate popular figures in the cruise industry, including Carnival Cruise Line’s well-known personalities, in an effort to steal money and personal details.

Kyndall “Fire” Magyar Warns of Fraudulent Impersonations

Kyndall “Fire” Magyar, the celebrated Cruise Director aboard Carnival Jubilee, has issued a public warning after discovering that scammers are using her name and image to deceive her followers.

With over 150,000 followers on Facebook and nearly 50,000 on Instagram, Magyar’s popularity has made her an easy target for criminals looking to exploit her fanbase.

Magyar has made it clear that she will never ask for money, special treatment, or exclusive content in exchange for payment. “Please never ever fall for any of these people,” she cautioned in a recent message. “I have not and will not ever ask you to buy a package, promise special treatment or tours, or give you access to premier content for a cost.”

The scammers are targeting her followers by posing as her “team” or “handler” and sending messages that falsely claim she’s seeking donations.

In one reported scam, the message thanked the recipient for agreeing to become a “mid-level donor” and asked for payment through a PayPal account linked to a free email address.

These messages were riddled with poor grammar, formatting errors, and inconsistencies in language—clear indicators of their fraudulent nature.

In an alarming turn, the scammers also requested the recipient’s full name and photograph, a step that could leave victims vulnerable to identity theft.

Magyar has urged her followers to report any fake accounts and stressed the importance of never sharing personal information or money with unverified sources.

John Heald Also Targeted by Scammers

Magyar is not the only Carnival figure under attack. John Heald, Carnival’s Brand Ambassador, with nearly 650,000 combined followers on social media, has also been impersonated by scammers.

Heald shared a recent case where a guest believed she was communicating directly with him, only to be tricked into purchasing an Apple subscription on his behalf.

Heald was quick to set the record straight, reassuring his followers through a Facebook post. “I feel genuinely sorry for this poor lady, and I have let her know how sorry I am. But this of course was not me. This is one of the many fake pages trying to make money from you.”

The Growing Threat of Cruise Scams

The rise of scams targeting cruise passengers is a growing concern across the industry. These scams often involve fraudulent offers for tours, port transfers, onboard credits, and even bookings.

This couple got scammed for $32,000 through a SIM swapping scam.

In 2024, a family’s $15,000 cruise was cancelled after they shared booking information online, making them vulnerable to fraud.

Other cruise lines, including Virgin Voyages and Royal Caribbean, have also issued warnings about similar scams targeting their guests.

Passengers are urged to remain cautious when engaging with representatives online and to only trust official channels for communication.

As scammers continue to refine their tactics, it is more important than ever for cruisers to exercise caution and avoid sharing sensitive information through unverified sources.

Staying alert and only engaging with legitimate representatives will help ensure a safer and more enjoyable cruise experience.