One fan says he lost $35,500 to people pretending to be Liv Morgan. Another claimed he lost $42,700 believing he was talking to Rhea Ripley. Those stories have now caught Vince Russo’s attention—and he has one blunt message for every wrestling fan reading this.
The latest alleged scam victim recently came to Ringside News claiming he spent three years being manipulated by multiple people posing as Liv Morgan and others connected to WWE. According to the man, the scheme involved fake meet-and-greets, bogus merchandise, tickets that never arrived and constant payment requests that eventually totaled $35,500.
His story surfaced shortly after another victim claimed he had lost $42,700 to someone impersonating Rhea Ripley. Both cases centered around scammers allegedly using the identities of popular WWE stars to gain fans’ trust before asking for money. Those stories became a topic of discussion on The Coach and Bro Show, where Russo urged fans not to ignore even the smallest warning signs.
“Guys, seriously, man, anything that looks like a scam, smells like a scam, or even has the slightest hint of a scam, don’t freaking answer, guys! There are so many scammers out there. Do not pick up the phone. Do not click on that text. So many people are getting railroaded out of big money.”
Jonathan Coachman believes wrestling fans are especially vulnerable because scammers know how badly many people want a personal connection with their favorite Superstars.
“Don’t click on the link in the text if it’s talking about that. At 64 years old—that’s not as old as it used to be—so to me, especially wrestling fans want so badly to be connected to their favorite Superstar, and these scammers know that. If you’re a 64-year-old guy and love Rhea Ripley, and they figured out a way to make you feel like you’re talking to her, that’s gotta be disappointing.”
Russo agreed but said the financial loss is only part of the damage. He believes many victims also end up feeling embarrassed after realizing they’ve been manipulated. Russo said these scammers know exactly who they’re looking for and intentionally target vulnerable people.
“I think they are disappointed, and when the reality hits, I think they are also very, very, very embarrassed. Guys, you can’t… please, man, do not fall for scammers. People do this for a living. Like Coach said, man, do not click on anything that is the least bit questionable. We see the talk shows all the time, the Dr. Phils. It’s always the lonely soul. They’re predators, man. They just know who to prey on.”
The names may change, but the playbook appears to stay the same. Whether it’s Liv Morgan, Rhea Ripley or another WWE Superstar being impersonated, scammers continue to exploit fans hoping for a real connection—and Russo’s warning is simple: if something feels off, walk away before it becomes another five-figure loss.
Have you ever been contacted by someone claiming to be a wrestler or celebrity online? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
