ThinkCritical.eu · Manipulation atlas
Images, video and accountsFake profile
An account with a borrowed photo, a short history or unnatural activity, pretending to be a real person.
Fake profiles spread advertising, disinformation and scams, and lend them the credibility of a “real person” – a nurse, a soldier, a neighbour. One sign isn't enough; suspicion grows when several come together.
The account “Jana, nurse with 20 years' experience” was created nine days ago, uses a stock photo as its profile picture and has already posted hundreds of times – almost always linking to the same online shop selling a “natural remedy”. The hospital where she supposedly works has no such employee.
How to spot it
- A brand-new account claiming years of experience.
- The profile photo appears elsewhere (in a stock library, under another name) or looks generated: eyes exactly in the centre, blurred background, mismatched earrings.
- Unnatural activity: dozens of posts a day, day and night, always on one topic or with one link.
- Few personal details, and comments mostly from similar accounts.
How to check and what to do
- Run a reverse image search on the profile photo with two tools (e.g. Google Lens and TinEye).
- Check whether the person exists outside social media – on their employer's website, in a public register or in the press.
- Look at when the account was created, any name changes and the last few dozen posts.
- Never send money or personal details to someone you only know online. Report suspicious accounts to the platform.
Tip: If a reverse image search finds nothing, that doesn't prove the photo is real – a freshly generated face isn't anywhere online yet.
Full explanation and exercises:
thinkcritical.eu/en/manipulation-atlas/fake-profile