Friends of longtime New Glarus resident and well-known alphorn player Heinz Mattmann have launched a GoFundMe campaign after he lost a significant amount of money in a financial scam, leaving him facing unexpected financial hardship while recovering from a recent heart attack.

Organizers say the fundraiser was created to help Mattmann regain financial security after he was deceived by someone posing as a representative of PayPal. The campaign describes Mattmann as a beloved member of the community who has spent years sharing his music and generosity with others.

According to the GoFundMe page, the scam began with a phone call from someone claiming there had been an error involving his PayPal account. Organizers say the caller convinced Mattmann that money had been mistakenly deposited into his bank account and instructed him to wire funds to correct the supposed mistake.