The Hit List - Instagram, We’ve Got a Problem

Yesterday, I was in the middle of a long day of filming. I stopped to check my phone, which was blowing up with notes from people about another imposter account on Instagram. Sigh.

If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, basically it’s some scammer creating a phony account using my images and name. These dirtbags send direct messages to followers pretending to offer tarot readings (or some such thing). Unsuspecting folks assume it’s legit, send money to some strange email that has zero connection to my business – and never get a reading.

Thankfully, my followers have gotten wise to this scam. They know how to spot fake accounts and are quick to report them. I’m vigilant as well so these jerks don’t stay up for long. (Psst…verifying accounts helps us to fight these imposters. Even though I’m a best-selling metaphysical author I cannot get the blue checkmark from Instagram or Twitter.)

Many of my fellow mystical service providers have also been dealing with these imposter accounts as well. It’s become like whack-a-mole lately.

Yesterday, one of the scam accounts simply grabbed someone else’s identity when I reported them. That shows you how scummy and relentless they are.

Part of the problem is Instagram’s response. While they do eventually take these accounts down, sometimes they are slow – or refuse because the account “doesn’t go against community standards.” You have to wonder what kind of community standards they have if they allow these imposters to hang around for even a minute.

Instagram also requires the legit account to provide proof of who they are. Isn’t there a way to verify people BEFORE they create an account?

Worse yet, if you report someone for copyright violation, Instagram shares your address with the scammer. Why?

This has gotten so bad many of us are contemplating leaving the platform. While there are many things to love about Instagram, if we and our followers cannot be safe, then it makes no sense to keep hanging around there. Instagram (and other social media spaces for that matter) should be a place to connect, share work, and have fun. If it becomes a chore where I’m constantly being forced to report imposters, it quickly loses any appeal.

While I’ve not made any decisions at this time, I am going to be thinking long and hard about my relationship with some of these social media platforms. If you’re a tarot reader, astrologer, or metaphysical practitioner, you may want to rethink this too.

Lovely hibiscus.

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