An obscure Adelaide publicist who has built up one of the largest Twitter followings in Australia is offering to sell 2500 followers on the social media site for $US250, highlighting the dubious business practices common on the popular and influential social media site.

Emma Azzopardi, who operates one of the top 100 Twitter accounts in Australia and has more followers than the National Rugby League and comedian Wil Anderson, told a reporter from The Australian Financial Review she could increase readership of his articles by providing him with thousands of Twitter followers.