Social media has become one of the biggest tools for human connection, allowing people to build friendships, create communities, share experiences and communicate across the world. However, the same platforms that make it easier for genuine people to connect have also created opportunities for those who understand how to manipulate attention, trust, finances and emotion resulting in harm.
The challenge we now face is that fake accounts are becoming increasingly sophisticated and some of the more obvious signs that once made scam profiles easier to identify are disappearing. A poorly written message (remember those emails from the prince’s estate executors?), the love DM from Brad Pitt or an obviously suspicious location are no longer the only warning signs. Artificial intelligence has changed the landscape by making it possible to create convincing fictional identities that can appear, at first glance, to be completely genuine so that these accounts can now be built around fake lives.
A profile can have the name of a person who does not exist, a collection of images showing different locations and situations, a carefully written personal story and a communication style designed to encourage interaction to your detriment. Many of these profiles follow familiar themes: there is the attractive divorcee who says she is rebuilding her life after her husband left her for someone younger, the business coach who promises you a 5 figure monthly income if you download their paid for app, the woman asking whether anyone would date someone in their 50s, the doctor telling you weight loss is possible with apple cider vinegar and cinnamon poured into your belly button, the barely legal waifu dancers, the fitness/yoga enthusiast who somehow is constantly showing videos of herself with her legs wrapped around her head, the traveller taking an evening walk on some deserted tropical beach one day then suddenly watching the Northern Lights in Norway the following day, the 23 year old driving in the Lambo (clearly not rented by the hour by a photographer), the monetiser who has somehow managed to get a picture of themselves in front of the Great Pyramid without coachloads of other tourists milling in the background, – the list is endless…
The important point is that these stories are effective because they are relatable; real people do experience heartbreak, want to lose weight, become rich, etc; the problem is that scammers understand these experiences and deliberately copy them because they know they can evoke emotional responses by creating a production line of stories, with each profile given a different hairstyle, background and photograph in an attempt to appear unique.
How social media algorithms can unintentionally help fake accounts
One of the most misunderstood parts of this problem is the role played by recommendation algorithms. Many people assume that if an account appears in suggested friends, recommended followers or “people you may know”, then the platform must have verified that the person is not harmful – that assumption is understandable, but it is not how these systems work. Social media algorithms are primarily designed to promote engagement for their advertisers, so they look at signals that suggest a person may interact with something, such as clicking on the profiles of weight loss “gurus”, mature/barely clothed women, watching a videos one of those repetitive dances, commenting on a post, sharing content or following similar accounts. They are not making a human judgement about whether the person behind a profile is real. An algorithm does not look at a profile photograph and understand that the person may have been generated by artificial intelligence because it’s just measuring activity.
This creates an opportunity for scammers because fake profiles are often designed specifically to generate engagement. An attractive photograph, a provocative question or an emotional story can encourage people to comment, react and start conversations. The algorithm sees that people are interested, so it recommends them to anyone who has viewed similar content – it’s just “good business”. And yes, some people are easily hooked by promises of becoming rich overnight, weight loss and visual content that would make you gran reach for her smelling salts…
A genuine person sharing their life and a fake account attempting to manipulate people can both create the same early signals: the first is a real human being posting a photograph from their holiday and the other is using AI-generated images and scripted conversations. To an algorithm focused on engagement, both may initially look similar, but the chances are that the fake weight loss account is more likely to get much more views and comments than John’s pictures of the Tower of London – guess whose account is going to be promoted…
This is why appearing in someone’s suggestions should never be mistaken for verification because a platform recommending an account means that its system believes there is a high possibility of interaction from others; it does not mean that the identity behind that account has been confirmed.
Why do scammers use divorce, weight loss and crypto stories?
The reason these themes appear so often is because they encourage people to respond naturally. A person who says they have been hurt, abandoned or betrayed is likely to receive sympathy. Someone who says they are starting again after years of marriage may receive encouragement. Someone who appears lonely may attract people who simply want to be kind.
Those reactions are completely normal, rhe problem is that scammers exploit normal human behaviour. The first stage is often not asking for money, but finding people who are willing to “follow” because that promotes their scammery; a comment can identify someone who is open to further contact via DM – “message me”, “join my OnlyFans, it’s only $3/month.
Once a conversation begins, a business promoting or romance scammer will gradually create a sense of familiarity and trust. They may offer business leads (quite often one of their scammer colleagues), appear attentive, interested and emotionally available. Eventually, the conversation may move away from the public platform and onto WhatsApp, Telegram or another private service where there is less visibility. By that point, the person may no longer feel as though they are talking to a stranger, but may feel they are talking to someone they know – a sense of connection is what scammers are trying to create.
The many faces of the fake profile
One of the reasons this type of scam is difficult to identify is that the fake profiles are not all carbon copies of each other. Criminal networks understand that different people respond to different personalities, lifestyles and appearances, so they create a whole catalogue of fictional characters designed to appeal to different audiences. Some profiles are built around the mature divorcee looking for a second chance, while others present themselves as younger, attractive women interested in older men. Some are so callled fitness experts, travellers or successful professionals flying in Emirates Private Suites and sharing images of their latest office overlooking Central Park; others are carefully staged wandering through city streets, making prolonged eye contact with the camera, then slowly sucking on an ice lolly.
The details change, but the purpose remains similar: attract attention, encourage engagement and identify people who are willing to continue the conversation for their financial benefit. The photographs may be different, but the methods often follow the same formula.
What should you check before accepting a friend request?
The first thing to remember is that no single sign proves an account is fake. A genuine person may only have limited information online because they value their privacy or may really own that sports car they saved up for; the concern comes when several warning signs appear together.
Before accepting a friend request or following a profile, look beyond the photograph and consider whether the account appears to represent a real person with a believable online history. Genuine people usually leave evidence of a real life; are tagged on photographs, comment on other photos, have hobbies, opinions, celebrations and ordinary moments; their online presence usually develops naturally over time.
Suspicious accounts often feel different. They may contain very polished photographs but very little evidence of an actual life behind them. If you’re on a “target list”, you will even start to notice the same faces on different profiles, locations etc, just with different hair colours.
Look at whether the account history makes sense and where it is based compared to where the photos are located; how many name changes has it had? Some fake accounts are newly created, but others may involve compromised or abandoned accounts (more on this below).
Look at whether the timeline appears realistic. Does the person’s age match their online history, if the account is new, look twice! Do the photographs and posts appear consistent ? Does the account seem to show a normal life, or is it always showing amazing pics of posh meals, photos from a yacht in the Med ?
Look carefully at photographs. AI-generated images are improving rapidly, but there may still be clues, including unnatural perfection, inconsistent facial features between photographs, unusual backgrounds, strange details around hands, jewellery or reflections, or images that look more like professional promotional material than everyday photographs.
Look at the language being used because genuine people usually have their own communication style. When multiple accounts appear to use identical phrases, similar emotional stories or the same conversation starters, I’d be suspicious.
Look at how quickly the person tries to build a relationship; genuine connections usually develop naturally. Suspicious accounts often attempt to create familiarity, trust or emotional closeness very quickly and often get quite controlling if you’re a female they are trying to “pull closer”.
Why older accounts are not always safe
Many people assume that an account created years ago must be genuine because surely a scammer would create a new account – unfortunately, that is not always true. Criminals can use compromised accounts, abandoned accounts or accounts that have been handed over so an account that appears to have existed for a decade may now be controlled by someone else today, but it will feel different if you look closely. However, the important question is not simply when the account was created, but whether the behaviour of the account matches a real person. Consider the following:
- Does the account have genuine interactions from their posts other than a series of emojis?
- Do the friendships appear natural?
- Does the history show a consistent life?
- Or does the account appear to have suddenly transformed into something completely different?
Reporting suspicious accounts
Reporting suspicious accounts is an important part of keeping online communities safer, but it is also important to focus on evidence rather than assumptions. What matters is the pattern of behaviour and claims – be very suspicious about that herb from deepest Peru found under Paddington Bear’s hat because their unique formulation will not fix an issue that a genuine nutritionst will identify as coming from your inability to walk past the biscuit aisle without 12 packs of chocolate digestives falling into your shopping trolley.
The strongest evidence is rarely one profile, but repeated behaviour across many profiles.
Why this matters
Many people believe they would never fall for an online scam because they are too sensible or too experienced. However, successful scammers rely on people being human and understand that some people just want to believe in fantasies. They rely on kindness, curiosity and the natural desire to connect with others. Those qualities are not weaknesses – they are the reason communities exist.
The challenge is recognising when someone is not trying to build a genuine connection, but is trying to exploit your willingness to connect; a friend request may appear harmless, but it is still an invitation into your online world, so before you accept, take the time to look beyond the photograph and ask yourself whether you really know who is standing on the other side.
And yes we all know that Colin from Croydon wants to loose 4 stone and become a millionaire so that he can fly to Australia to meet GingerStepMom whose profile pics he checks for daily to post a dozen flame emojis …
Do reach out to us if you have any questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are all AI-generated profile pictures fake?
No. AI-generated images can be used legitimately for creative projects, avatars and privacy. The concern is when they are used to create a false identity intended to deceive people.
Can social media algorithms identify fake accounts?
Algorithms can detect patterns associated with suspicious behaviour, but recommendation systems are generally designed around engagement rather than proving whether every account represents a genuine person.
Why do fake accounts appear in suggested friends?
Recommendations are based on signals such as connections, interests and engagement patterns. A fake account that creates activity will appear in recommendations because the system recognises interaction, not authenticity.
Are older social media accounts safer?
Not necessarily because older accounts can be compromised or taken over. The behaviour and history of the account are more important than the age of the account itself.
Why do scammers create fake relationship profiles?
They use emotional stories to build trust and encourage interaction before attempting fraud, collecting information or moving conversations away from public platforms.
Should suspicious accounts be reported?
Yes. Reporting helps platforms identify patterns and investigate networks of suspicious behaviour, fake accounts, etc. Prepare to be persistent if needed.
References
National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – Online safety and scam guidance
https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/
Action Fraud – Fraud prevention and reporting
https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/
Federal Trade Commission – Romance scams and online fraud
https://consumer.ftc.gov/
