A young social media star with cerebral palsy says Facebook has refused to remove a fake account created by scammers using her content to financially exploit her fans.
Grace Wolstenholme, 20, with 1.3 million followers on TikTok, says she lost part of her income after she stopped posting videos following police advice. Her TikTok and Instagram content was stolen and reposted on Facebook by someone pretending to be her.
See also: Hackers use fake Facebook ads to distribute malware
The fake Facebook account is registered as a creator, which means it is suitable for fans to send stars and gifts that can be converted into money.
Facebook pays creators $0.01 (£0.008) for each star they receive. This means that if you collect 100 stars, you will earn $1.00. Although each star is a small fee, it can be a significant source of income for those with a large following.
It is unclear whether the scammers have received payments this way, but the fake account has amassed 50,000 followers since it was created.
Wolstenholme had been trying to delete her Facebook account for five months, contacting Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, as well as Action Fraud, which investigates fraud and cybercrime. However, Meta removed the account on Wednesday, the day the issue was reported by the Guardian, without commenting on the matter.
Wolstenholme spotted the fake account and reported it to Meta in January 2024 using in-app tools. Accounts that impersonate others violate our community guidelines.
Wolstenholme went to the police in January and again in March when she realised the person running the fake account was trying to make money. She was advised to contact Action Fraud and take a temporary break from social media . She reported the account to Action Fraud on April 14 this year and was told by them a month later that they could not “identify a line of inquiry that a UK law enforcement organisation could pursue ”
Wolstenholme said her distancing herself from TikTok “resulted in a significant financial loss.”.
She added: “TikTok isn’t just my job – it’s also a way to distract myself from mental health issues. I enjoy posting content and raising awareness about cerebral palsy. Even though it’s a common disability, the lack of knowledge and understanding remains significant. I’m passionate about raising awareness about my disability.”.
Read also: Lawsuit against Meta regarding Facebook's News Feed
I did everything I could to let people know that the Facebook page wasn't mine. I posted daily Instagram to point it out and encouraged everyone to report the page. I also posted a TikTok video explaining, "The Facebook page isn't me, they're stealing my content, please report it."
Source: theguardian
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