Check the account handle, creation date, how many followers it has and who is following it
The rollout of Twitter’s subscription service has spurred a number of accounts impersonating public figures, raising concerns about the potential for fraud and misinformation.
Numerous accounts posing as politicians, celebrities and corporate brands have been suspended after being identified as inauthentic. Fraudsters pay the $7.99 required to display a blue verified mark – an identifier previously reserved for prominent people or institutions – under changes brought in by new Twitter owner Elon Musk.
So how do you spot a poster on Twit?
There are steps people can take to determine if a Twitter account with a blue tick is authentic, including checking the account’s handle, creation date and number of followers it has — and noting who follows it.
For example, one account purported to show NBA star Lebron James requesting a trade from his team. James’ authentic handle – @KingJames – was created in 2009 and has more than 52 million followers. This includes other NBA players and the Los Angeles Lakers, his team.
But the account impersonating him used the handle @KINGJamez, went online in November 2022 and had fewer than 200 followers, according to archived captures.
Twitter users can click a profile’s badge to see if the account has paid for it. A pop-up on paid accounts reads: “This account has been verified because it subscribes to Twitter Blue.”
For verified accounts to stand out, it says: “This account has been verified because it is visible in government, news, entertainment, or another specific category.”
Government agencies and public figures often list Twitter information on websites and other platforms, such as Facebook.
Dan Evon, senior manager of education design at the nonprofit News Literacy Project, said people can always “do a logic check.”
“Many of these scam accounts are posting blatantly inflammatory messages,” Evon said. “If the account is posting something newsworthy, did it make the news?”
