How Can You Tell If Someone if FAKE Online?

The world of the internet has created some monsters. You may think you’re seeing Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde out there. Anyone can have a website, blog, podcast and youtube channel – and be “branded” in a few clicks.

But it takes more than pretty pictures, a nice blog, enticing copy and some fancy video editing to really build a brand.


Let’s start with INTEGRITY.




Now I am all about thinking big – and putting the best image forward. But when you cross the line and start to deceive and stretch the truth too far – you doing more damage to your brand than helping it. TRUST takes times - but can be destroyed in a second.

So how can you tell if someone if FAKE online:

1. Check their Social Proof. Who are their previous clients? What did they say? Check those testimonials out. Are those just quotes from close friends or family? Who are their online followers? How many are following them in their social networks like Youtube, Twitter and Facebook. Yes, they may claim to have a mailing list of 10,000 people and make over $100,000 a year – but we can’t check that. We can check their clicks and comments from followers.

2. Google them and check how long they have been doing what they say they are an “expert” at. One of my mentors says it typically takes about 10,000 hours of doing a thing to qualify as an expert. So you do the math. If they’ve only been blogging since last year – I’d be really leery of taking any blogging advice from them – no matter how good their blog looks.

3. Watch them online and don’t just read their emails. See how people react to them. See what they post. You can tell a lot about a person by really observing them for a few months. It’s hard to be fake for a LONG time……you see red flags as you follow them if things are not consistent.

4. Be careful of folks that brag about what they’re doing. If they are doing all that WONDERFUL – you probably wouldn’t have to brag. People would just know. So, when you read an email that talks about them taking a vacation in Hawaii for three-months and their business in on automatic (and they want to get you in their program so you can do the same) – don’t believe the hype.



But you know, it's sad. Some folks want to believe the hype. The internet is like the “last hope” for many people and they love being sold the “dream.”

I say, WAKE UP. Learn human nature. Learn to be more perceptive. Learn that there is 'no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.' And learn to use your delete button when you smell a FAKE.