Wrestling fans lose thousands to scammers posing as WWE stars
It can be a real thrill to think that you have a genuine connection with a celebrity, even though taking a moment could offer warning signs that the person you are talking to on social media may not be the genuine article.
Recently, two people have been conned by scammers impersonating female stars from WWE, losing thousands of dollars in the process.
Last week, it was reported that a 64-year man from Pennsylvania, US, lost $42,700 in March 2026 by a fraudster pretending to be wrestle Rhea Ripley. Details are slim as the man refused to cooperate with police, so little is known about the situation - as he is not willing to assist with enquiries, it seems likely that the investigation will go no further.
Ripley herself has not commented on the incident.
In the past, other female wrestlers have tried to warn fans to not fall for criminals trying to impersonate them. In 2022, Liv Morgan said on X:
“Guys I’ve been sent so many emails of horror stories about people making fake accounts and emails pretending to be me & asking for huge amounts of money. This really makes me so sad. Please don’t use my name to con people out of their hard earned money. Please please please”
However, Morgan's name was recently used as part of cons which saw two fans lose thousands.
One person reports that he was in contact with someone who he believed was Morgan, who asked for money for things like everyday expenses and unexpected emergencies. He claims that he was scammed out of $104,000.
Another victim claimed that multiple social media accounts and phone numbers were used to get him to transfer the money for what he believed were things like merchandise and meet-and-greet opportunities, and that he travelled to Orlando, Florida as he believed he as in close contact with WWE and members of their team. In the end, he lost $35,500.
However, these figures, though significant, dwarf in comparison to the story of Alfred Mancinelli, who drained his both his retirement savings and granddaughter's college fund, sending it all to someone he believed was WWE star Alexa Bliss. When his son tried to step in to help his father, Mancinelli disowned him.
Over the course of around 5 years up to 2023, Mancielli lost more than $900,000 to scammers, and died that year aged 79 after failing to recover from surgery following a fall.
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