Nelly Korda Sounds Alarm as Catfishing Scam Targets Fans, Female Golfers

August 17, 2025

Over the past five years, LPGA players have repeatedly raised their voices against a disturbing trend of catfishing scams that impersonate female golfers, lure fans into fake relationships and drain them of thousands of dollars.

Despite public warnings, the scams persist. And now, they’ve pushed former world No. 1 Nelly Korda to speak out with urgency.

The latest eye-opening moment came from The Athletic, which created a fictitious Instagram account under the name Rodney Raclette, a 62-year-old Indiana native and self-proclaimed LPGA superfan. Within 20 minutes of following a few verified accounts, Rodney received a message from what appeared to be Nelly Korda herself.

“Hi, handsomeface, I know this is like a dream to you. Thank you for being a fan,” read the DM from @nellykordaofficialfanspage2, per report. Of course, it wasn’t Korda. And Rodney doesn’t exist. But the scam was all too real.

In the real world, a fake account impersonates a golfer, initiates contact, then quickly shifts the conversation to Telegram or WhatsApp. From there, the scammer offers exclusive perks, VIP access, autographed gear, and even romantic promises in exchange for untraceable payments via cryptocurrency or gift cards.

Once the money stops, the scammer vanishes. This forced Korda to raise her voice. Newsweek