Fake Influencers Are Stealing Your Money - Here's How to Spot Their BS

Written By Davide Dellago

Let's get real for a minute. If you're a business owner in Switzerland, you've probably been approached by "influencers" sliding into your DMs, promising you the world for a free meal or a couple hundred francs. And yeah, their numbers look impressive - but are they actually legit?

Time for some hard truth: a huge chunk of these "influencers" are about as real as a 3-franc note.

Here's how they're playing you (and how to spot it):

  1. The Follow/Unfollow Game 🎮

    What it looks like: They have 10k+ followers but only get 50 likes per post. The truth: They used follow/unfollow bots to grow their account. These "followers" couldn't care less about your business.

Red Flag Check:

  • Their follower count goes up and down like a yo-yo

  • Their engagement rate is lower than your ex's emotional availability

  • They follow way more accounts than follow them back

2. The Engagement Pod Problem 🤝

What it looks like: Every post gets the exact same comments: "Amazing! 🔥" "Love this! 😍" The truth: They're in engagement groups where people blindly like and comment on each other's posts.

How to Spot It:

  • Same accounts commenting on every single post

  • Generic comments that could apply to literally anything

  • Comments appear within minutes of posting, every single time

  • Most comments are from other "influencers" (HUGE red flag! 🚩)

  • Their comment section looks like a networking event for wannabe influencers

  • Zero comments from real potential customers

Think about it: If all their engagement comes from other influencers, how the hell will this help your business? These people aren't your target audience - they're just playing the social media game.

3. The Bought Followers Bullshit 🤖

What it looks like: 50k followers but their posts look like they're screaming into the void. The truth: Those followers? Probably chilling in a click farm somewhere in Asia.

Dead Giveaways:

  • Sudden massive jumps in follower count

  • Followers with zero posts and random number sequences in their names

  • Majority of followers from countries that don't match their target market

4. The Fake Engagement Trap 📈

What it looks like: Thousands of likes but zero actual impact on your business. The truth: You can literally buy likes and comments. (Spoiler: They're useless for your business)

Look For:

  • Engagement that doesn't match their audience size

  • Zero meaningful interactions in comments

  • No real conversations happening

The Real Solution: Get The Receipts 🧾

Before working with any influencer, ask for:

  1. Last 30 days of insights screenshots (views, interactions and followers details

  2. Individual post insights from their last 5 posts

  3. Story view counts (average, not just their best)

Pro Tip: If they get sketchy about sharing these stats, run. Real creators who deliver results are proud to show their genuine numbers.

What Actually Works?

Look for these instead:

  • Real engagement: People actually talking about the content

  • Consistent, but not perfect, engagement rates

  • Genuine community interaction

  • Local, relevant followers who could actually become your customers

  • Professional approach to collaboration (not just asking for free stuff)

The Real Talk Section 🎯

Want to know if an influencer is worth your money? Ask these questions:

  1. Can they show you actual campaign results from previous collaborations?

  2. Do their followers match your target audience?

  3. Are they transparent about their metrics?

  4. Can they explain their content strategy for your brand?

  5. Do they understand your business goals beyond just "exposure"?

Pro Tip: A smaller account with real, engaged followers will always bring better results than a fake "influencer" with inflated numbers.

Need Help? We've seen enough fake influencers to spot them from a kilometer away. If you're thinking about influencer marketing but don't want to get scammed, let's talk. We'll help you find creators who actually give a damn about your business.

👉 Not sure if you're being played? Drop us a message for a free BS check on any influencer you're considering.


”Trust your gut - if something feels off, it probably is”

Davide Dellago