How to Spot a Fake Account on Twitter: 6 Ways
Reading Time: 3 minutesHow do you tell fake accounts from real accounts on Twitter? Here are some tips.
Identifying fake Twitter accounts used to be a lot easier when eggheads and bot responses were plentiful. But with verification now up for sale, it’s difficult to tell the difference between a real person and a fake account with paid-for verification.
How do you make sure the accounts you’re engaging with are genuine? A fake Twitter account is one that’s been created to deceive people and impersonate someone or something. Fake accounts are often used for cyberbullying, online scams, and political purposes.
Here are a few tips on spotting the difference between real and fake accounts…
1. Check the Account Profile
A real user will usually have an interesting bio, profile pic and posts made up of more than just retweets. There are exceptions to this rule, of course, where a celebrity user might have a very simple profile.
But if the bio is only one sentence and includes stock phrases like ‘social media influencer’ or they are promoting something that doesn’t quite add up, then you can be suspicious.
2. Check How They Got Verified
With verification being handed out to every Twitter Blue user who verifies a number, identifying a fake account can be even harder. The blue checkmark used to indicate authenticity, but now it may just mean the person has paid for a subscription.
The good news is that you can still get some clues about their verification. If the account has a blue checkmark, click on it and see what info comes up. If the account has been verified by Twitter and not purchased then you can be confident that it is a genuine account.
3. Conduct a Profile Search
When you come across a tweet that looks suspicious, try searching for the person or brand’s name or username in Twitter’s search bar. A quick search can help you find out if the account is legitimate.
Are they multiple verified accounts with the same name? Which account is the most active? Does the account have a lot of followers or low engagement? If there are multiple accounts with the same name and one is more active than the others, the most active is likely the genuine one.
Eli Lilly and Company had some billions shed off its market cap when users believed a false tweet that was sent using a fake account that it was giving away insulin for free. Had the users searched to verify, it would have been apparent that the account in question was not Eli Lilly and Company’s official account.
4. Check the Tweeting Activity
When you find multiple accounts with the same name, how do you know which is genuine? Fake accounts often lack activity, so look at how frequently they are tweeting. It’s also important to check the content of the tweets and whether the user is engaging with other users.
Real users will usually be involved in conversations, responding to and retweeting content from other users. Fake accounts tend to have a lot of one-way communication, with few (if any) replies or engagement with other users.
The content they share is also important. Accounts that primarily post links to clickbait websites or content that look suspicious are probably not authentic.
5. Check if They Spam Links or Fake Giveaways
Be extra wary of accounts that are sending you links to click on. Many scammers use fake accounts to get people to click on malicious links that contain viruses or fraudulent websites. Hacked accounts also post links to scams.
It’s best to avoid clicking on any questionable links sent out by unknown accounts. If you’re unsure about the link, scan the user’s profile for other suspicious activity, double-check the link in a search engine, or ask for more information about the link before you click it.
6. Look at Who They Follow/Who Follows Them
If an account follows hundreds of other accounts but has very few followers itself, then this could be another sign that it may not be genuine.
Additionally, if all the people who follow them seem like bots (i.e., names with random numbers), then this too could point towards a scammer or troll trying to gain attention through illegitimate means.
Spotting Fake Accounts on Twitter
So how can you spot a fake Twitter account? The best way is to use the tips we’ve offered here: pay close attention to the profile details, check the tweeting activity, and be wary of any account that sends you links to click on. These are only indicators that something might be off, not guarantees of fakery. But keep these points in mind, and you’ll be able to tell fake accounts on Twitter.
Reference: https://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-spot-a-fake-account-on-twitter/
Ref: makeuseof
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