Social media impersonation

Social media impersonation is when someone creates accounts, pages or groups that pose as a brand, its customer support or its staff. These accounts are used to collect personal data, push people to phishing sites, sell counterfeit goods or run investment and giveaway scams. It is a common form of brand impersonation because accounts are free and quick to create.

How it works

The impersonator copies the brand's name, logo, cover images and tone, often adding words like "support", "help" or "official" to the handle. Typical tactics include:

• replying to customers who publicly complain to the real brand, offering to "resolve the issue" in direct messages;
• running fake giveaways or discount campaigns that require a login or payment;
• posing as an executive to promote investments or request contact;
• using paid ads from the fake page to reach more people.

Direct messages then move the victim to a phishing site, a messaging app or a phone call.

Example

As an illustration, a customer posts that a refund has not arrived and tags an airline. Within minutes, an account called "ExampleAir Help Desk" replies, asking the customer to send a message. The fake agent then sends a link to exampleair-refund[.]com, where the customer is asked for card details "to process the refund".

How to spot it

• Handles that add words, underscores or numbers to your official name.
• New accounts with few posts but your logo and branding.
• Accounts that reply to your customers but never post original content.
• Requests to continue in private messages, other apps or via a link.
• Promises of refunds, prizes or returns that sound too generous.

What brands can do

Keep a list of your official accounts and publish it on your website. Report fake profiles through each platform's impersonation or trademark forms, with evidence that you own the brand, and report any linked websites to their host and registrar. Respond publicly to customers who have been targeted so others can see which account is real. A letter of authorization lets a partner report on your behalf. Phishvoid can monitor and report fake accounts and the sites they link to; contact us to set this up.

Read more: Fake Customer-Support Accounts on Social Media and Chat Apps