Fake deals, real danger: Why influencers are falling prey to fraudsters
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Fake brand managers, false deals, access to private data, and all hell breaks loose. Common enough modus operandi of scamsters, but the twist is that they are now beginning to target influencers, exploiting their desperation to cut brand deals and maintain their public image and popularity on social media.
Such influencers are easy prey for swindlers, given their contact details are publicly available so brands can easily connect with them. Take Simran Malhotra, a travel and fitness influencer with 656,000 followers on her Instagram handle @malhotra_simran. In two reels last month, she gave a detailed account of how she was approached by a fraudster who pretended to be an influencer marketing agent representing apparel brand Blissclub and skincare brand Skincraft.
He asked her to share her personal details and give access to her Google photos account, with pictures of her body parts, including intimate areas, for online consultation and personalization of products. She also spoke about how she tackled the situation by involving the authorities. “There are no regulations on brand collaborations, hence, individuals claim to be freelance influencer managers and reach out with these offers.
There is never a way to confirm whether they are legit or not," Malhotra told Mint. Queries emailed to Blissclub and Skincraft on Tuesday didn’t elicit a response. Cyber security expert Lalit Kalra, who is a partner at consulting firm EY, said such scams target influencers because of their popularity.
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