Scamfluencers Use Social Media to Orchestrate Sophisticated Online Fraud

Scamfluencers, a rising category of deceptive internet personalities, are leveraging their online influence to run sophisticated scams that have already cost Americans an estimated $1.9 billion in 2024. 

These individuals masquerade as experts in finance, health, or other trusted domains to exploit trust and extract money from their followers. By blending online popularity with calculated deceit, scamfluencers are proving to be one of the most dangerous forms of digital manipulation today. 

According to Adewale Adeife, a cybersecurity consultant at EY, scamfluencers are especially dangerous because they merge their social credibility with modern deception tactics. These often include emotional manipulation, fabricated social proof such as fake likes and engagement pods, and now, even AI-generated deepfakes to bolster their authority.

Scamfluencers fabricate credentials, pose as professionals, and often use emotionally charged content to draw in followers. 

In one infamous example, teenager Malachi Love-Robinson posed as a medical doctor, tricking patients and professionals alike. Others may impersonate financial experts, promising “get-rich-quick” results backed by fake testimonials and limited-time offers.

Tactics also include exploiting psychological tendencies like authority bias, where users are more likely to believe information from someone who appears famous or credentialed. 

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