By Sitha Maliwa
In today’s digital landscape, social media serves as both a blessing and a curse for celebrities and public figures. Platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook allow direct interaction with fans and facilitate promotions, but they also attract scammers who create fraudulent accounts using the identities and images of these individuals, causing confusion and mistrust.
Recently, gospel singer Lebo Sekgobela has been targeted by scammers peddling counterfeit tickets to her events, including “Worshippers Unleashed” on March 29 at Emperors Palace and “Gospel Love and Soul” on April 26. Additionally, the rise of deepfake advertisements powered by artificial intelligence has emerged, resulting in victims losing their identities and money.
SABC presenter Leanne Manas has had her identity misappropriated to create deepfake ads for weight-loss products and online trading platforms, while even high-profile figures like Johann Rupert and Elon Musk have had their likenesses exploited to promote questionable investment schemes. They aren’t the only ones affected; South African investors are increasingly encountering investment scams that flourish on social media, with enticing ads promising unrealistically high returns becoming global.
The most common type of scam in South Africa is social media impersonation, where criminals exploit celebrity likenesses to deceive fans and solicit funds. Actress Phindile Gwala says she continues to cope with the aftermath of someone impersonating her online.
Gwala has publicly addressed the issue of social media impersonation, expressing her frustration with its impact on both herself and her fans. She stated, “It’s disheartening to see fake accounts using my name and image to deceive my supporters. I want my fans to know that I will always communicate through my verified accounts, and I urge them to be cautious and vigilant against these scams.”
Celebrity publicist Thanduxolo Jindela of Kwathole Conexion explains that scammers often create highly convincing fake profiles using quality photos and mimic the celebrities’ communication style. These accounts tend to amass thousands of followers by projecting an illusion of exclusivity.
Jindela notes that many fans, unaware that they are interacting with a fraudster, are lured in by supposed personal interactions or exclusive offers. In some cases, scammers ask for donations, sell fake merchandise, or offer spurious services while posing as the celebrity. Such exploitation can lead to significant financial losses for unsuspecting fans and fosters a troubling environment of distrust.
“Impersonation scams involving celebrities have serious repercussions. They confuse audiences, dilute brand integrity, and undermine authentic engagement efforts. It can also be emotionally distressing for celebrities to witness their names and images being misused to deceive their fans,” he states.
He adds that these scams can have a detrimental impact on a celebrity’s career. “Negative publicity from impersonation can disrupt promotional activities, mislead fans, and damage relationships with brands. The long-lasting effects may impair a star’s ability to sustain their follower base, as fans may feel betrayed or disillusioned,” he explains.
As this issue continues to worsen, Jindela recommends both celebrities and fans take proactive steps. “Celebrities should regularly check social media for unauthorised accounts and use the verification processes provided by platforms to safeguard their identities. Fans also have a crucial role to play by educating themselves about the signs of scams, such as unrecognisable account handles or accounts soliciting money,” he advises. -@NewsSA