Warning: Star Trek Is Not Immune to Fakes and Frauds
Some still pose as franchise celebrities to “catfish” fans
It’s not a surprise, or overstatement, to say that the advent of social media has changed the face of Star Trek fandom.
Where fans once were lucky to be able to meet an actor, producer or other celebrity from the franchise by traveling to a convention, today we can simply pull our phones out and check on what our favorites are doing and saying — in real time.
But that wonderful modern ability doesn’t come without risks.
We might like to think that our Star Trek community of fans, actors, producers and other creatives is an enlightened enclave separated from the problems of the real world — but sadly, we’re not.
And that’s particularly true online, where some unscrupulous individuals create fake profiles as Star Trek actors and other celebrities in order to pose as those celebrities and “catfish” unsuspecting fans.
There have been these fakes posing as Star Trek folks for years.
Most recently, I encountered a bogus account on Facebook, where someone is claiming to be Tawny Newsome — even though it’s obvious that whoever this is, they are not the actress from Star Trek: Lower Decks and now a writer behind the scenes.
Although these accounts may look authentic at first, it’s usually not hard to spot the fakers if you give them a second glance.
Let’s take a look at the tell-tale signs, using “Tawny Newsome” here as an example.
Sure, the photos may look legit, but just look at this account, which lists just 441 followers.
There’s absolutely no way that the real Tawny Newsome would have such a small follower count.
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Even the more-minor figures in the franchise attract followers numbered in the tens of thousands, and Tawny Newsome certainly is not a minor figure.
There’s more.
Take a look at this post from the same fake account.
Again, at first it looks like a real cast photo— and it is.
It’s a professional snap taken by Stefanie Keenan, for Getty Images, a business which licenses commercial images.
The real Tawny Newsome would not have to post a professional pic — with the watermark still clearly visible which means that whomever posted it hasn’t paid to use it.
The real Tawny Newsome would post something straight from her own camera roll on her phone. She wouldn’t need to post a photo that looks amateurish with the watermark still affixed.
Further, she’s soliciting “roses” emojis for fans to show their affection for her.
No professional actor is going to basically publicly beg for love from fans.
But, sure enough, more than a dozen folks “liked” the post or gave some other positive reaction to it, including one fan who posted the requested rose emoji in the comments.
And it’s not a far leap before this or other frauds solicit money.
All they have to claim, perhaps, is that they’re trying to raise investment for a new project, and some eager fans would give money in this scam.
The point here is not to shine a singular light on a particular fake account, or shame those who unknowingly fell for them.
Rather, my intention is to remind readers that the Internet is still a wide-open place.
Yes, interacting with your favorite Star Trek folks online is a fun and rewarding part of modern fandom.
But please use a little discernment and common sense to ensure that you’re talking to the real person and not some fraudster sitting in their mother’s basement.
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