Social media, particularly X (formerly known as Twitter), has always been a platform where individuals can express themselves, share ideas, and grow their influence by gaining followers. However, a concerning trend has emerged: some users, instead of requesting others to follow them honestly, resort to deception to expand their follower base. These users are not necessarily scammers in the traditional sense, but their deceitful tactics are creating a nuisance on the platform.

The strategy is simple but underhanded. A user creates a post, often pretending to give away something, offer financial help, or share a prize in celebration of a personal milestone. In reality, there is no giveaway or assistance, only an intent to deceive. The goal is to attract attention, spark engagement, and ultimately gain more followers by luring people into interacting with the post.

For example, users may post things like: “Send your account, and I’ll give away N5,000 to five people!” In some cases they go as far as deceptively posting something like, “Follow me and retweet this for a chance to win a brand-new phone!”

While the language may vary, the purpose remains the same: to exploit the curiosity or hope of other users in order to drive up engagement. In some cases, users will even follow through with minimal giveaways to maintain the facade, but the overwhelming majority of these posts are just tricks to inflate their follower count.

You may have asked in this context, “Why Do They Do It?” The answer to your question cannot be farfetched as the primary motive is to quickly and efficiently boost their following, as social media metrics are often viewed as a form of credibility. With a higher number of followers, users can: Increase their social influence, attract potential business opportunities, gain attention from brands looking for influencers to promote products and elevate their status within the X community.

For these users, the ends justify the means. Instead of organically growing their followers by offering valuable content, they resort to deception, prioritizing follower numbers over genuine interaction and trust.

At first glance, this follower-gaining tactic may seem harmless compared to financial scams. However, this deceitful behavior can have long-term negative consequences for the platform and its users. This is as it erodes trust. In fact, social media platforms thrive on trust. When users start questioning every interaction or doubting the authenticity of every giveaway or offer, the very fabric of the platform weakens. People become less likely to engage with others, limiting the sense of community that X aims to foster.

In a similar vein, the deception wastes the time and energy of innocent users of the platform. This is as many users, lured in by the promise of rewards, spend time interacting with these deceptive posts, only to end up disappointed. This wastes their time and adds to the growing frustration many feel on social media.

Also is the false metrics the deception generates. Despite the allure of their posts, the followers these deceptive X users gain are often not genuinely interested in their contents. This creates a distorted picture of their actual influence. Brands or businesses looking to collaborate with influencers based on follower count may find that these users offer little real value in terms of reach or engagement.

The reality is that growing a follower base organically on X requires time, effort, and authentic interaction. Instead of posting valuable content that engages the community, these deceptive users take shortcuts, exploiting the algorithms and the trust of fellow users. By masking their intentions with fake offers, they can generate more shares, likes, and follows than they would through legitimate means.

The allure of a quick follower boost can be tempting, especially when follower count is often seen as a status symbol. But what isgained through deception does not last. Eventually, many followers realize the truth, and the trust deficit created by such deceit can harm the user’s reputation in the long run.

While the number of followers might seem crucial in the social media landscape, genuine engagement should be the goal. X users should focus on cultivating real relationships with their audience by providing authentic content and meaningful interactions. It is better to have a smaller, loyal follower base than a large, disinterested one gained through deceit.

To those using deception to grow their follower count: consider the value of trust and authenticity. There is no harm in openly requesting followers or promoting content honestly. Social media is meant to be a space for connecting and sharing, not tricking others into following for non-existent prizes.

Deceitful users on X may not be scammers in the traditional sense, but their tactics of deception for gaining followers are undermining the platform’s integrity. Instead of fostering genuine relationships and building a community of engaged followers, they prioritize quick, artificial growth. As users, it is essential to be aware of these tactics and promote authenticity, both in our own behavior and in our expectations from others. Social media should be a space for real connections, not one filled with tricks and false promises.