As the fairways heat up and golf fever spreads, the alarm is being sounded by LPGA Tour pros: fake accounts impersonating them are being created by scammers, putting fans at risk of getting hacked. Early this season, five-time LPGA winner Michelle Wie West raised alarms about the same, saying, “This is my only account!!! Please report any account trying to message you or request a follow!” Although West promised to handle the situation with her team, it is evident from another LPGA pro’s recent update that the threat remains.

Recently, 2022 Chevron Championship winner Jennifer Kupcho took to her Instagram story to warn her 35k fans about a similar impersonation scam targeting her fellow LPGA Tour pros.

The alert included a screenshot of a private Instagram account with a bio that reads, “🇺🇸American Professional golfer 🏑🏆. My Official Instagram private page for all my admirers all over the world🌎. Lets gather here fans.” In her Instagram story, Kupcho announced, “This is not me. I’ve reported it but if this person messages you please ignore and report!🙏 Just a reminder this is my one and only account!!” 

However, this isn’t the first time an LPGA pro has raised alarm about the same. Early this season, Nelly Korda updated her Instagram post, saying, “I’ve noticed an increase in fake accounts using my name to try to scam people. Please know I will never ask any of my fans for any money. Any outreach on my behalf is fake and run by scammers.” 

A few months before Korda, Charley Hull shared her frustration about the same, saying, “I will never ask for money or gift cards in exchange for meet and greets or fan club membership.”

She added that her team and she only use the official accounts, yet, “There are SO many fake accounts out there claiming to be me, if you are contacted by them please please report. Let’s stick together so we can beat the scammers.”

So, does this only happen to LPGA pros? Well, not really. Although the cases when it comes to the PGA Tour pros are fewer in number, they have also been victim of such scams. Take TGL’s LAGC team, for instance. Early this season, the team warned its fans about online scams, saying, We’ve been alerted that an impersonator account is falsely messaging people about giveaway prizes. These messages are not from us.” 

In fact, not only individual pros or teams, but even the golf organization itself has been impersonated. In 2017, the USGA warned about a scam targeting college students via emails with “.edu” extensions, promising money for personal info about part-time employment at the 2018 U.S. Open. The USGA asked recipients to forward the fraudulent emails to them.

Moreover, these pros aren’t the only ones being targeted – popular golf influencer Paige Spiranac has also fallen victim to the scams.

Paige Spiranac lost her cool after an imposter allegedly catfished her fan

Paige Spiranac is known for her unfiltered opinions and dedication to her fans, particularly when it comes to warning them about online scams and fake accounts. Despite her efforts, the scammers persist.

The timing of these scams is especially concerning, as they coincide with an alarming incident involving her fellow influencer, Hailey Ostrom. Just a day before, on January 17, Ostrom shared a harrowing experience where a man showed up at her house after initially approaching her at a golf course. Ostrom described the encounter as “very scary,” admitting it was unlike anything she had faced before.

Hours after Spiranac shared her thoughts on Ostrom’s experience, a fan fell for a scam when they asked Spiranac to confirm the authenticity of someone chatting with them. Spiranac quickly set the record straight, responding, “I only chat directly on my passes account or my verified social media accounts. Nowhere else.” The fan seemed convinced they’d been chatting with the real Spiranac, replying, “Really? I asked Paige for photo holding 2025 note and I got it.”

Spiranac has repeatedly warned her fans about scammers, stating, “I only have my verified accounts and my Passes account. Anyone claiming to be me or claiming to be an associate of mine is fake.” In February, she reiterated, “Hi just a friendly reminder I don’t have a telegram or anything like that. The only place you can talk to me directly is on Passes… I will never have a telegram, WhatsApp or anything similar to that to chat.” Despite these warnings, the scams continue, as evidenced by Kupcho’s recent case.