Being a social media influencer has its perks—fame, partnerships, and a large audience—but it also has a dark side. Hailey Ostrom, a popular Golf influencer with over a million followers, recently shared a traumatic experience that highlights the dangers influencers face behind the scenes.
Ostrom revealed a terrifying incident involving a fan who not only followed her onto a golf course, but also appeared outside her home. Although the individual left before police could be called, the situation took an even stranger turn when it was discovered that the man had been duped by a fake profile posing as Ostrom.
A scammer turned harassment incident
The harasser, believing he had communicated with Ostrom, sent $50,000 to a scammer posing as the influencer. Ostrom, upset by the incident, admitted her fear:
“As you can imagine, I don’t know his intentions and because of some situations I had in the past with some followers, I was very skeptical and scared and I wasn’t going to take any chances,” she shared.
The event highlights a growing problem for influencers like Ostrom: fake profiles using their likeness to exploit fans, leading not only to financial fraud but also threats to personal safety.
A message to his followers
Ostrom took to his social media platforms to issue a heartfelt warning to his fans. She stressed that she would never ask for money or ask her followers to interact with other accounts.
-“A very scary situation for me. As a reminder: I will NEVER send you a message asking you to follow me on another page or another platform,” she clarified.
Ostrom also called on major platforms like Instagram, Meta, TikTok and Facebook to take action against fake accounts using his name, urging them to better protect both influencers and their followers.
The broader question of influencer safety
This incident highlights the broader challenges influencers face in their work. From relentless online criticism to real-life harassment, the risks they face are far greater than many realize. Fake profiles and scams not only damage their reputation, but can also put their safety and the well-being of their followers at risk.
Hailey Ostrom’s experience serves as a stark reminder of the dark side of social media fame. For influencers and their fans, vigilance is essential. Ostrom’s call for action against fake profiles highlights the urgency for social media platforms to put stronger protections in place.
