**Ore Oduba Reveals Heartbreak After Falling Victim to Convincing Scam by Impersonator**
Ore Oduba, known to millions as a broadcaster, actor, and former Strictly Come Dancing champion, has bravely opened up about being deceived by a scammer masquerading as one of his personal role models. In a raw and emotional video shared on his Instagram, the much-loved presenter admitted he was left devastated and embarrassed after believing he had been contacted by the celebrated motivational speaker Mel Robbins.
The incident unfolded after Oduba, aged 39, made an enthusiastic public declaration of admiration for Robbins during an appearance on ITV’s ‘Loose Women’. In the aftermath of his TV appearance, Oduba tagged various Mel Robbins-related social media accounts while sharing the interview clip online. Shortly afterwards, an email arrived via his agent, purportedly from the team behind The Mel Robbins Podcast—one of the United States’ most popular self-help broadcasts.
Overwhelmed by excitement, Oduba responded to what he thought was genuine correspondence from Robbins, pouring his heart out and even thanking her simply for acknowledging his existence. “For you to know who I am, is everything to me,” he confessed in his email reply. The gravity of the moment overcame him, and the presenter admitted he broke down in tears on a train journey, convinced that his dreams of working with Robbins were about to come true.
The fraudulent exchange escalated when Oduba was seemingly invited to appear as a guest on the world-renowned podcast. Still caught up in disbelief and emotion, he admitted in his social media video, “I lost my composure, I was in tears. The thought that someone I have admired had reached out—it felt like life-changing stuff.” However, warning signs soon emerged.
Gradually regaining composure, Oduba scrutinised the messages more closely and noticed two glaring red flags: the email address used was a standard Gmail account, and Robbins’ surname had been misspelt. Sensing something was amiss, he contacted Robbins’ official PR team through her website, only to have his fears confirmed—the correspondence was an elaborate scam.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Oduba candidly acknowledged the irony of his situation. “I used to host a show about scammers. I’ve spent hours watching programmes like Watchdog to help others avoid this exact thing—yet here I am,” he admitted, visibly shaken. Oduba’s post was a stark reminder that no one is immune to manipulation, especially in the digital age of sophisticated schemes and AI-powered deception.
Oduba shared the emotional lesson he learned, writing, “I’m ashamed, I’m embarrassed and I’m human. I never thought I’d be susceptible to such a thing, but this shows it can happen to anyone. AI made it all so convincing, and I was quickly drawn in. It’s genuinely frightening.”
The broadcaster also highlighted how his longing for Robbins’ recognition clouded his judgement. “The truth is I turned an emotional blind eye because I so deeply wanted this to be real,” he wrote. “It almost landed me in serious trouble. This has made me realise how often we do the same in our personal relationships—ignoring warning signs when we want something badly enough.”
Oduba’s vulnerability has sparked sympathetic responses across social media, with many echoing his advice to “listen to your gut” and never underestimate the ingenuity of online fraudsters. He also thanked the real Mel Robbins and her team for their prompt response and compassion, noting, “I still stand by her message, her books and podcast have helped me through tough times. Fortunately, I caught on in time. Others might not be so lucky.”
Ore Oduba’s experience underscores the widespread and growing threat posed by scammers, even targeting public figures with knowledge of such cons. His willingness to share his story has been applauded as an act of public service, highlighting that vigilance is vital—regardless of experience or background.
In the final analysis, Oduba’s ordeal is a stark lesson in the importance of digital caution. As scams grow increasingly clever and personalised, his story serves as both a cautionary tale and a plea for greater public awareness.