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'HORRIFIC'
I lost my £90k Britain’s Got Talent fortune after being conned by sick scammers – it’s devastating
BRITAIN'S Got Talent star Francine Lewis has revealed her heartbreak after being scammed out of £90,000 by a phoney stocks company.
The mum, 47, who shot to fame for her hilarious impressions of celebs in 2013, was swindled out of her savings after being tricked by the devious "brokers".
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She lost the life-changing £90,000 - which she had earned from her time on Britain's Got Talent and from tours and corporate events she did after the show.
And the 47-year-old was also conned out of the money she had been saving for her teen children's futures - a fund she started when they were born.
The scamming ordeal started when Francine's husband Joel started looking for something to invest in - and he found out about Fomax Capital.
He spoke with the scammers for weeks in 2018 before they gained his trust and convinced him to put in a low-stake investment of £500.
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And the family were soon suckered in with the manipulation - with Francine and her father-in-law also dishing out cash to invest in what they believed to be a reputable stock broker company.
But the penny finally dropped - leaving the family devastated and Joel "collapsing" at the stress of the situation.
Francine, who lives with Joel and her two teen children in Hertfordshire, said the scamming ordeal rocked the family - and she'd never do anything like it again.
Devastated Francine told The Sun Online: "I had a little gut feeling. I spoke to the guys myself, they were so convincing, so even I got suckered in.
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"Stupidly, I handed all this money over, went to my bank, drew it out.
"What was even worse, I handed them all my kids' money that I had been saving from when they were born.
"That for me was the worst part of it. In the end, it ended up being a scam. That little bit of a gut, which I prayed wasn't going to be right, was right in the end."
What shocked the BGT impressionist most was how realistic the scammers were - who were able to trick the entire family.
Francine shot to fame on Britain's Got Talent in 2013 with her hilarious impressions of Katie Price, Holly Willoughby and Stacey Solomon.
But ironically, the impressionist wasn't able to spot the liars before handing over the family's well-earned funds.
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Joel, 43, and Francine said the con artists were so "open" and even gave the pair an open offer to visit their offices.
Fomax Capital had a registered address in London's Canary Wharf, but crucially was not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
The entire family were therefore swindled out of their earnings - which she said was absolutely horrific.
Francine added: "It wasn't easy for my father-in-law who was ready to retire, he had to continue to work. He lost a substantial amount of money as well."
After the devastating scam, Francine said she's changed her ways - and now never buys things online without knowing the company first.
She also couldn't go on holiday with her family, and nearly had to cancel her son's coming-of-age celebration because of the devastating loss.
Francine added: "Obviously we couldn't go away for a while. It had a massive impact.
"It was the year before my son’s Bat Mitzvah, and we’d planned this whole massive do, and I didn't think it would be able to go ahead.
"I don't order anything online unless I know the company that is well known. I won't order anything.
"It makes you really dubious. It was a devastating time."
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The BGT star said she recalls the exact moment that the family realised they had been scammed - as her husband turned "white as a ghost."
She said Joel started to get suspicious of the company when he tried to remove some of the money - but suddenly found out he couldn't.
The impressionist added: "I'd gone to the cinema with my son, and when we came back my husband looked white as a ghost, the penny had dropped.
"And oh my god, my heart sank.
"We had a terrible row, and the next day, he had to break it to his dad. My husband literally collapsed from the stress and the upset.
"It was just horrific, absolutely horrific.
"You don't want to know what was going through my mind, it was awful.
"You ask yourself 'why, why, why did I do it?' If only I could go back in time. If only I went with my gut."
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The couple previously spoke on BBC's Rip Off Britain - revealing their heartache after they were conned.
If you’re unexpectedly contacted by someone asking for personal or financial information, follow ’s advice to keep your finances protected: Stop, Challenge, Protect.
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Protect yourself against fraud
To help people stay safe, the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign advice is to:
· STOP: Take a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.
· CHALLENGE: Could it be fake? It’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
· PROTECT: Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve fallen for a scam and report it to Action Fraud.
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