Impersonator accounts are fake profiles that pretend to be another person, often a celebrity or public figure. They use the person’s name, image, and content to deceive viewers. Impersonator accounts have become increasingly common on TikTok, with some amassing huge followings before being discovered as frauds. These fake accounts are harmful because they spread misinformation, scam users, and violate privacy. This article will cover how to identify and report impersonator accounts on TikTok so you can help protect yourself and others from their deceptions.
Search for the Person Being Impersonated
The first step is to search TikTok for the name of the person or brand that is potentially being impersonated. Use quotes around their full name or handle to search for exact matches. For example, searching for “Britney Spears” or “@britneyspears” will show accounts trying to impersonate the famous pop star.
Carefully look through the search results for any accounts using the person’s name, image, or logo without a verification badge. Legitimate celebrity and brand accounts will have a blue verification badge next to their handle. The lack of a verification badge is a red flag that an account may be fake.
According to TikTok’s support article, “Report an impersonation account,” you should “Go to the profile and tap the Share button at the top” to begin reporting suspicious accounts [1].
Check Account Details
When trying to spot an impersonator account, take a close look at the profile photo, bio, and posts for any signs that the account may be fake. Compare these details to the real person’s verified account to look for discrepancies or differences.
Look at the profile photo and see if it matches photos you’ve seen of the person elsewhere. Impersonators often use slightly different or edited photos. Read the bio and see if it matches the real person’s bio or contains errors. Bios on fake accounts are sometimes shorter or sloppily written.
Also scroll through the photo and video posts. Impersonators often repost content from the real account rather than posting original videos. The reposted videos may also be blurrier in quality or have headers/captions edited. If you spot profile photos, bios, or posts that seem off compared to the verified account, it’s a red flag the account could be fake.
As tips from the Sociality blog (https://sociality.io/blog/fake-tiktok-followers/) and Tiktal (https://tiktal.co/how-to-spot-fake-influencers-on-tiktok/) explain, comparing key details to the real account helps reveal signs of impersonation.
Look for Verification Badges
TikTok uses verified badges to indicate an account belongs to the authentic person or brand it represents. As explained on TikTok’s support site, “If you’re approved for TikTok verification, you’ll receive a verified badge. A verified badge means that we’ve confirmed the account belongs to the person or brand it represents.”
The blue checkmark badge will appear next to a verified account’s username on their profile. According to TikTok’s newsroom, “Verified badges can only be applied by TikTok to confirm authenticity and cannot be purchased or earned.”
If an account claiming to be a celebrity or public figure does not have TikTok’s verified badge, that’s a red flag it could be an impersonator account rather than the real person. As blogged by Hootsuite, “A verification badge means that TikTok has confirmed your identity. That blue checkmark next to your user name lends credibility and tells viewers that you are who you say you are.”
The lack of a verification badge alongside a high follower count should raise suspicions that the account may not actually be authentic.
Analyze Follower Count
One telltale sign of an impersonator account is having a disproportionately low number of followers compared to the views or likes on their videos. For example, according to Shopify, the average engagement rate for accounts with 1,000-10,000 followers is around 15%. So if an account with only 5,000 followers is getting hundreds of thousands or millions of views per video, that engagement rate seems suspiciously high.
Legitimate and popular TikTok creators tend to have follower counts somewhat aligned with their view counts. Impersonators often have follower counts that are vastly lower than the views on their videos. Take a close look at the number of followers, and compare that to the number of hearts/likes and views on recent videos. If the engagement seems disproportionately high for the follower count, it may be an impersonator account.
Check Comment History
Impersonators will often have sparse comment history or comments that don’t match the persona they are imitating. For example, an account masquerading as a celebrity may have very few comments from the account, or comments that seem bland and generic rather than reflecting that celebrity’s actual personality.
Take a close look at the comment history on a suspicious account. Do the comments seem authentic and align with how you’d expect that person to interact? Or are the comments sparse or seem off-brand? Lack of comments or generic comments can be a red flag that an account may be fake.
You can toggle between posts on an account and click into each one to view all comments. Carefully read through these comments to analyze if they seem legitimate or not based on what you know about the person being impersonated. Comments that don’t match the persona can help confirm an account is fake.
Look for Link Outs
Impersonators often include sketchy links in their profile or videos that may direct users to malicious sites or scams. According to a guide from Redpoints, “Fake accounts on TikTok can share and promote fraud apps through suspicious and spam links.”
In contrast, legitimate accounts will generally only link out to official sites or social media pages that are verified. As a tip from Reddit user @johndoe123 states, “If the account has links in the bio or posts that seem sketchy, it’s usually a red flag for an impersonation.”
So when analyzing an account, click on any links you see in the profile or video descriptions. Trace where they lead and look for odd or unofficial destinations. The presence of suspicious links may be a sign of an impersonator account versus a real profile.
Search Hashtags
One of the most effective ways to find impersonator accounts is by searching hashtags where they tend to be active. Here are some hashtags to search:
- #impersonator
- #lookalike
- #fakeaccount
- #impersonation
Try searching these hashtags and looking through recent videos and accounts posting with them. Impersonators often use hashtags related to the person they are imitating in order to try and reach that person’s actual fans and followers. For example, someone impersonating a celebrity may use hashtags associated with that celebrity’s name, nicknames, or popular songs/movies.
Spending some time browsing these impersonation-related hashtags can help uncover accounts that may be attempting to pass themselves off as someone else. It’s a good starting point in the search for potential impersonators.
Use TikTok Reporting Tools
TikTok has in-app tools to report impersonator accounts and get them removed. According to TikTok’s support article, “Report an impersonation account,” you can report an account by going to the impersonator’s profile and tapping the Share button. Then tap Report and select “Report account.” Finally, choose the option “They are impersonating someone” (source).
Reporting an impersonator account through TikTok’s in-app tools alerts the platform’s moderators, who will review the account and may remove it if it violates their community guidelines against impersonation. Using the reporting features is an effective way to get fake accounts taken down from the platform. The more people who report an impersonator account, the faster TikTok will likely take action against it.
Spread Awareness
The impersonated person may not be aware of the fake account. Let them know about it by tagging them in comments or direct messaging them from your real account. Provide details about the impersonator account so they can report it themselves.
Also warn others not to be fooled by the impersonator. Comment on the fake account’s posts to reveal it’s not the real person. You can also make your own posts using screenshots to expose the impersonator. Tag the fake account and use relevant hashtags so your warning reaches more people.
