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Encountering a verified Instagram account that raises doubts about the authenticity of its owner's celebrity status is not a novel experience for me.
Before delving into details, it's crucial to clarify that what follows is not a step-by-step tutorial but rather an acknowledgment that guaranteed results are elusive. The verification process involves real individuals scrutinizing your account to determine its eligibility for the coveted blue tick.
A brief flashback:
Several months ago, I stumbled upon such an account for the first time. Anyone familiar with Social Media Marketing, automated growth strategies, purchasing likes and followers, or similar services can readily discern when something seems amiss. No expertise is required to recognize signs of deception.
During that encounter, I regretfully failed to capture a screenshot, and, after a few hours, I couldn't recall or locate the username. However, it was evident that the individual behind the account was not genuinely famous, likely relying on tools like Jarvee or similar services to attain the coveted blue tick—a symbol for which people willingly spend substantial sums.
What were the actions of this individual?
Curiously, despite being from Germany myself, I had never heard of this individual.
Recently, I stumbled upon another account mirroring the characteristics described above. This time, I captured screenshots, and further exploration unveiled even more similar accounts. Feel free to peruse the evidence yourself.
Observe the mere 11 posts on his profile, suggesting he likely ventured out only 3-4 times to create visually appealing pictures, though lacking a professional touch. Remarkably, his bio aligns precisely with the description provided earlier:
Visit his personal website using the format firstname+lastname.com, which, in this case, is https://devonteriley.com/. The site conforms to the standard personal brand structure, featuring a collection of pictures, a narrative, and links to his social media accounts, albeit lacking any extraordinary elements.
For reference, here is his agency's Instagram:
Observe the broken hyperlink on his website; where is the tl;dr? Is it .com? .net?
Now, let's delve deeper.
Here is the website for his agency (I attempted .com):
So, let's conduct a more thorough investigation.
Here are his social media accounts:
Seeking social proof?
Mostly, social networks populate his profile. Examples include:
In conclusion, despite claims to fame, this individual lacks celebrity status. There's no evidence of a digital marketing agency affiliation, no proof of him being an actor, and doubts linger about his authenticity as a singer.
Think that's all?
Well, open his latest picture and scrutinize the comments:
Are these individuals part of an engagement group, or do they share the same management from a growth service?
Take a look at these accounts:
Without delving into how these individuals utilize engagement groups, this discussion centers on the pursuit of the blue tick.
What can be gleaned from this? In essence:
To secure the blue tick, one must fabricate an entire persona. The more diverse the claims (author, entrepreneur, singer, actor, producer, etc.), the more successful the endeavor.
It seems asserting oneself as a singer might be the simplest route. Why? Because it's relatively easy to fake. Find someone to record a few songs, create accounts on Spotify, Soundcloud, YouTube, etc., and augment them with purchased plays, subscribers, followers, etc., providing a facade of social proof.
Essentially, you can project the image of a "popular singer" with millions of plays and subscribers without actually being a singer. It poses a challenge for Instagram's verification team to discern whether one is genuinely a singer. The key is to execute the deception convincingly.
Hopefully, you can discern the recurring pattern.
Before delving into details, it's crucial to clarify that what follows is not a step-by-step tutorial but rather an acknowledgment that guaranteed results are elusive. The verification process involves real individuals scrutinizing your account to determine its eligibility for the coveted blue tick.
A brief flashback:
Several months ago, I stumbled upon such an account for the first time. Anyone familiar with Social Media Marketing, automated growth strategies, purchasing likes and followers, or similar services can readily discern when something seems amiss. No expertise is required to recognize signs of deception.
During that encounter, I regretfully failed to capture a screenshot, and, after a few hours, I couldn't recall or locate the username. However, it was evident that the individual behind the account was not genuinely famous, likely relying on tools like Jarvee or similar services to attain the coveted blue tick—a symbol for which people willingly spend substantial sums.
What were the actions of this individual?
- He asserted himself as a singer, sharing songs on platforms like Soundcloud and Spotify, and subsequently bolstered his presence with purchased followers and plays.
- He professed to be an author, having published a Kindle Ebook on Amazon—an achievement he portrayed as relatively uncomplicated.
- He claimed the title of entrepreneur.
- He invested in three to four press releases/articles featured in niche newspapers and magazines.
- He adorned his profile with 10 to 20 professionally curated pictures.
- Evidently, he employed growth services/software, evident from following 4,000 people and boasting 9,000 followers.
- He maintained a website, using the format firstname+lastname.com as the link in his profile bio.
Curiously, despite being from Germany myself, I had never heard of this individual.
Recently, I stumbled upon another account mirroring the characteristics described above. This time, I captured screenshots, and further exploration unveiled even more similar accounts. Feel free to peruse the evidence yourself.
Observe the mere 11 posts on his profile, suggesting he likely ventured out only 3-4 times to create visually appealing pictures, though lacking a professional touch. Remarkably, his bio aligns precisely with the description provided earlier:
- Proclaims himself as a Singer/Songwriter/Actor and more, an assertion met with skepticism regarding his actual talent.
- Presents himself as a photographer and influencer.
- Surprisingly, he also identifies as an entrepreneur, complete with a link to his Instagram business account. Investigate the business account yourself; it's devoid of posts or any substantial content.
Visit his personal website using the format firstname+lastname.com, which, in this case, is https://devonteriley.com/. The site conforms to the standard personal brand structure, featuring a collection of pictures, a narrative, and links to his social media accounts, albeit lacking any extraordinary elements.
For reference, here is his agency's Instagram:
Observe the broken hyperlink on his website; where is the tl;dr? Is it .com? .net?
Now, let's delve deeper.
Here is the website for his agency (I attempted .com):
So, let's conduct a more thorough investigation.
Here are his social media accounts:
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/devonteriley - With 300 subscribers and just one video, he appears to be less famous than suggested.
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/devonte_riley/ - No noteworthy comments.
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialdevonteriley - His Facebook page boasts an impressive engagement rate, but is it truly reflective of his popularity?
Seeking social proof?
Mostly, social networks populate his profile. Examples include:
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5848213/bio (Note the absence of any film credits; the profile seems artificially created.)
- Bandsintown: https://www.bandsintown.com/de/a/2535652-devonte-riley (No upcoming concerts listed.)
- Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/de/artist/5054964-Devonte-Riley (Only two songs listed, linking to "Unit-E Media Group," which also has just two entries.) And other accounts—feel free to Google him yourself.
In conclusion, despite claims to fame, this individual lacks celebrity status. There's no evidence of a digital marketing agency affiliation, no proof of him being an actor, and doubts linger about his authenticity as a singer.
Think that's all?
Well, open his latest picture and scrutinize the comments:
Are these individuals part of an engagement group, or do they share the same management from a growth service?
Take a look at these accounts:
- https://www.instagram.com/livingsocial_ie/ (check out the peculiar website)
- https://www.instagram.com/dineshsoiofficial/ (why would he be acquainted with him? Examine his pictures and comments for similarities)
- https://www.instagram.com/tashechanel/ (not particularly famous; explore our YouTube, etc.)
- https://www.instagram.com/kemalsabahofficial/ (similar situation here; scrutinize his YouTube channel and pictures)
Without delving into how these individuals utilize engagement groups, this discussion centers on the pursuit of the blue tick.
What can be gleaned from this? In essence:
To secure the blue tick, one must fabricate an entire persona. The more diverse the claims (author, entrepreneur, singer, actor, producer, etc.), the more successful the endeavor.
It seems asserting oneself as a singer might be the simplest route. Why? Because it's relatively easy to fake. Find someone to record a few songs, create accounts on Spotify, Soundcloud, YouTube, etc., and augment them with purchased plays, subscribers, followers, etc., providing a facade of social proof.
Essentially, you can project the image of a "popular singer" with millions of plays and subscribers without actually being a singer. It poses a challenge for Instagram's verification team to discern whether one is genuinely a singer. The key is to execute the deception convincingly.
Hopefully, you can discern the recurring pattern.
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