Romance scam: Maduka Okoye WARNS fans over impersonators on dating apps

Maduka Okoye has issued a fresh warning to supporters after discovering that impersonators are posing as him on dating platforms and Snapchat in what appears to be a growing romance scam problem.

The 26-year-old Udinese goalkeeper, widely admired for his model-esque looks and often dubbed 'the most handsome Nigerian footballer' in the game, took to Snapchat to shut down the scheme directly.

Sharing screenshots of messages he's been receiving, Okoye wrote: “Guys, I know I do this a lot but I can’t repeat it enough as I’m getting daily messages like this ” before adding in bold capital letters: “❌ I’M ON NO DATING APPS! ❌”

One of the messages he reposted was written in German. Translated into English, it read: “Hey you probably won’t read my message but I just saw your profile on Tinder, is that real? ”

In a follow-up post, Okoye stressed that there is only one official Snapchat account linked to him. “there’s also just THIS Snapchat account,” he wrote, followed by another clear warning: “❌ ALL OTHER ACCOUNTS ARE FAKE ❌”

The father of one shared another message, also in German, which translates to: “I think you’re being faked on Snapchat.”

Okoye ended both posts with a cautionary note aimed particularly at female supporters: “Please take care out there girls 🙏🏾”.

The warning comes at a time when Okoye's profile remains high both on and off the pitch.

Although he missed AFCON 2025 with the Super Eagles, the 25-year-old German-born shot stopper has firmly established himself as Udinese’s No.1 this season, delivering a string of commanding performances in Serie A.

His form has reportedly attracted interest from several top Italian sides, with current league leaders Inter Milan among the clubs said to be monitoring his situation. As speculation around his future intensifies, so too has online attention, something scammers appear to be exploiting.

Okoye’s personal life has also been under scrutiny following his tumultuous relationship with his former partner and mother of his child, Jelicia Westhoff. The pair have experienced a highly publicised on-and-off dynamic over the past two years, with cryptic posts fuelling speculation about their status.

While neither has publicly confirmed the current state of their relationship in recent months, sources close to the situation suggest communication remains focused on co-parenting.

For now, Okoye appears keen to draw a firm boundary between his real life and the growing number of fake profiles trading on his name, making it clear that any romantic outreach via dating apps or unofficial accounts is not coming from him.