A fake Pittsburgh Steelers impersonator swindles two women out of thousands of dollars using an unofficial account associated with the franchise
An unknown impersonator allegedly exploited Eli Heidenreich’s Steelers connection to scam two women out of $1,000
A person pretending to be Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Eli Heidenreich allegedly scammed two women from Avella, Pennsylvania, out of $1,000 during the summer, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
The case is the latest example of scammers exploiting professional athletes' identities to create a false sense of trust.
The victims, aged 20 and 50, reportedly lost the money through several financial transactions. Police said the alleged impersonator posed as Heidenreich , but there’s no indication that the Steelers rookie had anything to do with the scheme.
The incident was reported after authorities investigated the transactions involving the two women. According to state police, no suspects have been identified in connection with the case, and investigators are asking anyone with information to contact PSP Washington.
Heidenreich is a Pittsburgh-area native who grew up a Steelers fan and attended Mt. Lebanon High School before playing college football at the Naval Academy.
Pittsburgh selected him with the 230th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The team later signed him to a four-year contract.
The rookie has also been used in official Steelers content, making his name and association with the franchise easy for an impersonator to exploit online. Steelers information identifies Heidenreich as a versatile running back and receiver, while his college career included 1,994 receiving yards and 16 receiving touchdowns.
Another alleged NFL impersonation scam
The Pennsylvania case comes shortly after federal authorities announced charges against two men accused of running a much larger fraud operation involving women and a fake NFL identity.
The U.S. Department of Justice says Daejon Labrayae Love and Taylor Jamie Chan allegedly created fictitious investment schemes beginning in 2022. Prosecutors allege Love frequently claimed to be a San Francisco 49ers player or a wealthy real estate investor, while Chan allegedly posed as his financial adviser.
According to federal investigators, the pair used dating apps and romantic relationships to gain victims' confidence before promoting nonexistent investments.
The Justice Department says financial records show Love and Chan received about $1.3 million from victims, with 26 people identified so far. The FBI believes there may be additional victims.
Unlike that federal investigation, the Steelers-related incident currently involves only an unidentified impersonator and a reported $1,000 loss. Still, the cases shows how scammers can use recognizable sports identities as part of an online deception.
Authorities haven’t publicly linked Heidenreich to any wrongdoing, and there’s currently no evidence that the Steelers player personally communicated with or solicited money from the women. Police continue to seek information that could help identify whoever was responsible.
