‘Explosion’: Thousands of fake accounts target Aussie influencer Jaylie Bonow
Australian content creator Jaylie Bonow is calling for tougher laws and tech accountability as scammers continue to impersonate her online.
Confidential
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Imagine discovering new fake versions of yourself on social media almost every day.
That’s the reality for Aussie influencer Jaylie Bonow, who is sounding the alarm on TikTok impersonators as Confidential investigates just how bad the problem has become.
Amid mounting privacy fears and a surge in fraudulent online activity, Bonow is calling for stronger government intervention and greater accountability from tech giants, saying current protections are “not sufficient.”
The content creator, who boasts 216,000 Instagram followers, told Confidential more than 100 social media accounts have surfaced using her name and photos.
“I notice fake accounts being created using my identity almost daily,” Bonow said.
“I’m usually alerted by family, friends and fans who come across and sometimes even follow these impersonator profiles before realising they’re not genuine.”
Bonow says she holds “serious concerns” not just for her own privacy but for the safety of fans being misled and potentially scammed.
“The fake profiles typically re-upload content directly from my official pages to appear legitimate,” she said.
“I suspect they’re using this content to gain trust and then direct people to WhatsApp or similar platforms, likely with the intent to scam or solicit money.”
Despite regularly reporting the accounts, Bonow says they continue to pop up with impunity.
“I would like to see stricter laws that prioritise and protect individuals who are being impersonated,” she said.
“Additionally social media platforms should be held more accountable for swiftly identifying and removing fake accounts, and there should be clearer, more efficient processes for victims to report and resolve impersonation issues.”
“This suggests that enforcement mechanisms and response times need significant improvement across platforms like Instagram and TikTok,” she added.
Confidential conducted its own investigation and found 58 active TikTok and 26 Instagram accounts using Bonow’s name and photos. Some had thousands of followers and others had as few as five.
Privacy adviser Matthew Born also weighed in on the issue, warning that social media platforms are failing to keep up with the growing threat of online impersonation.
“The explosion of fake accounts and identity misuse on platforms like TikTok and Instagram is a clear sign that current privacy measures aren’t keeping pace with evolving digital threats,” Born said.
“The burden is falling unfairly on individuals to report impersonators, when these platforms have the tools and resources to do more proactive monitoring.”
Born also agreed that social media companies must take more responsibility.
“Relying on users to identify and report impersonators after damage has already been done is reactive, not protective.”
A TikTok spokeswoman told Confidential the platform “don’t tolerate fake or impersonation accounts,” and will be contacting Bonow to assist in deactivating the accounts.
Meta has also been contacted for comment.
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