A 64-year-old Pennsylvania man lost $42,700 to a scammer posing as Rhea Ripley, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
Troopers in Kittanning, about 45 miles northeast of Pittsburgh in Armstrong County, said this week that the crime took place in March. An unknown person or persons contacted the man while portraying themselves as the WWE star and obtained the money through the scheme, according to information shared by police and reported by WPXI.
A public information officer told the station the victim has refused to cooperate with the investigation. No arrests have been made.
Police did not say how the contact was made or how the money was sent.
Ripley, a two-time Women’s World Champion, has one of the largest social media followings on the WWE roster and has publicly warned fans about accounts impersonating her. Celebrity impersonation scams typically begin with a fake social media or messaging account, build a relationship over weeks or months, and then request money for a claimed emergency, travel, or fees to meet in person. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center has reported that confidence and romance scams cost victims over 60 more than any other age group in its annual reports.
Anyone who believes they have been contacted by someone impersonating a WWE performer can report it to the platform where the contact occurred and to the FBI at ic3.gov. WWE performers do not solicit money from fans through direct messages.
