Social media’s blowing up faster than ever, and while that can be exciting, it also means there’s more junk to sift through—like all those fake accounts popping up left and right.
These accounts pretend to be real people or brands, spreading misinformation or trying to steer trends in their favor. You can’t completely avoid them, but luckily, there are ways to figure out if an account on X (formerly Twitter) is fake.
Whether you’re new to the platform or you’ve been here for a while, here are some tips to keep you from getting fooled. No single red flag proves an account’s fake, but if you spot several, that’s a pretty good indicator something’s up.
Check for the Verified Badge
The first thing to look for? Whether the account’s verified. Accounts that are certified have blue or gold checkmarks. But don’t let your guard down just because you see one—ever since Twitter Blue came around, even fake accounts can pay for that little checkmark. So, don’t rely on it too much!
Look Closely at the Name
Next, check out the account name and handle. Fakes love to get creative with this—maybe they add a few extra characters, switch up the spelling, or throw in random numbers to look like a real account. If something feels off—like weird symbols or funky spacing—it’s probably not legit.
Skim the Bio
The bio can be a dead giveaway. Real accounts tend to have complete bios with location, work info, maybe even a link or two. Fakes? Not so much. You’ll find vague, random, or just plain weird bios. Sometimes they try too hard to be funny, and that can be another hint it’s a parody or a fake.
Look at the Profile Picture
Check the profile pic, too. A solid, real account usually has a good-quality image, probably professional. Fake accounts? You might see generic stock photos, stolen images, or just something that feels out of place. Do a reverse image search if you’re not sure—it could save you from getting duped.
Followers and Tweets Matter
Now, here’s where things get interesting. If an account has tons of tweets but barely any followers, that’s fishy. Or if their tweets are all over the place—spammy, repetitive, or inconsistent—there’s a good chance it’s not real.
Creation Date? Check.
When was the account created? If an account’s claiming to be some big shot but it was created, like, last week? Yeah, you should be suspicious. Older, established accounts usually have a steady stream of posts over time.
Peek at Recent Activity
Scroll through their recent activity. Fakes tend to have a bunch of retweets without much original content. And watch out for clickbait or the same images being recycled over and over. That’s classic fake account behavior.
Try Tools Like Botometer
If you’re still unsure, there are online tools that can help. Botometer, for example, checks if an account’s likely run by a bot. You just pop in the handle, and it gives you a score—blue means human, red means it’s looking a lot like a bot.
Source Code? Only for the Techies
For the advanced crowd, there’s always the option to dig into the source code of a suspicious page. Not something most of us would do, but if you know what you’re looking for, it can be another layer of proof.
Trust Your Gut
At the end of the day, spotting fakes on X isn’t foolproof, but these tips should help you stay a step ahead. And remember—if something feels off about an account, trust your instincts.
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