Fake Cristiano Ronaldo lures glamour model on Facebook
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The 20-year-old model said the individual contacted her on Facebook using the name "Cristiano Aveiro" - the footballer's real surname - before attempting to build a relationship and arrange a meeting.
Key takeaways
- Stalker posed as Cristiano Ronaldo using fake Facebook profile.
- Sophie Reade became suspicious after UK-based phone number.
- Incident left her fearful and highlights online safety risks.
Impersonation raises alarm bells
Reade, who has previously met and flirted with Ronaldo, told The Daily Star that she initially believed the messages could be genuine.The impersonator reportedly asked personal questions and referenced past encounters, making the deception seem convincing.
However, suspicions began to grow when the man provided a phone number that appeared to be based in the UK rather than Spain, where Ronaldo was playing at the time.
I thought it was odd that the dialling tone sounded like a UK one. Usually when you phone people in Spain you can tell they're abroad.
But when he spoke he sounded just like Cristiano, so I wasn't sure.
Truth revealed after phone call
Despite sounding similar to Ronaldo, Reade realised something was wrong when the man's claims about their previous meeting did not add up.He asked me lots of questions and reminded me we'd met before. It was then that I knew he wasn't the real Cristiano.After contacting her phone provider, she discovered the calls were coming from London - close to where she now lives.
'I'm petrified to go out alone'
The incident has left Reade shaken and fearful for her safety.I just don't understand why he would go to so much trouble. He's clearly sick in the head.She added that the experience has made her anxious in public, admitting she now worries that anyone staring at her could be the person behind the fake profile.
The scary thing is he knows what I look like but I have absolutely no idea who he is. I haven't been out by myself since it all happened.
I was on the Tube the other day and this guy kept staring at me and I kept thinking to myself, "Is it him?"
Warning over online safety
Reade also warned that the situation could have been far worse if the impersonator had targeted someone younger or more vulnerable.He knew so many things about me. He'd also done his research on Cristiano. I just don't understand why someone would do something like this, it's sick.The case highlights the risks of online impersonation and the importance of verifying identities when interacting with strangers on social media.
I've been lucky but if he was to contact someone a lot younger than me, like an impressionable teenage girl, who knows what might happen? She might be tempted to meet him.
