Fooled by a Fake. What I learned.
Sharing so it won't happen to you!
Photo credit: LeandroDeCarvalho
I’m embarrassed with myself but want to share what happened so hopefully you can avoid it
A few days ago I met a guy on Bluesky whom I greatly admire. A pioneer, globally recognized leader in technology and society. He approached me and we started a private chat. (Clue 1: what did he want? I assumed he was interested in being a guest on my podcast, which is building up some quite famous people. Why not him too? )
I shall refer to him as the Imposter!
We chatted about my podcast over a couple exchanges:
Imposter : I’m delighted to hear about your video podcast series, Imaginize.World. It sounds like such a fascinating and thought-provoking platform. I’d be honored to discuss the possibility of being a guest and contributing to the conversation about the future. I’ll take a look at the information on your site and will be in touch soon. Thank you again for the invitation!
He asked me questions about my work and responded in detail. I told him I'd written the first non technical book on the internet back in 1996 - «L’avantage Internet pour l’entreprise ») He said "that makes you a real pioneer." (Clue 2: flattery.)
Imposter: The depth of your work is deeply inspiring. Writing one of the first non-technical books about the internet in 1996 speaks to a remarkable foresight an ability to understand the profound societal shifts that were beginning to unfold. It’s fascinating how your journey has woven together research, thought leadership, and practical insights through case studies and global surveys. I particularly find your focus on the gig mindset and your forward-looking vision for 2043 compelling; these are the kinds of perspectives that shape meaningful dialogue about the future of humanity and technology.
More chats back and forth then he asked « how are sales in general? » of course I gave no numbers but did respond that I had different channels of income.
Strategic advising with large global companies in Europe on organizing for the digital age, running a community for management (paid membership) wanting to improve their understanding and define action plans for the digital age, and selling my reports based on 10 annual global surveys of 300 or so companies around the world. (Clue 3. Money inquiry. He was smart enough not to ask for numbers which would have made me leave the conversation immediately. )
I began to move into the idea of interviewing him for my podcast. I could feel the distance increasing just a touch. Very busy, hard to set a time, etc..... But we finished with a date and timeframe, at my gentle insistence (Clue 4. In fact many legit guests respond that it’s hard to set a time much in advance, so that did not alert me. )
While I’m currently navigating a busy schedule, I’m intrigued by the thoughtful nature of your series. Let me take some time to explore your platform, and I’ll let you know if it’s feasible to participate. Regardless, I’m grateful for the opportunity and wish you continued success with Imaginize.World!
Then a couple days later, over a weekend, I went back to Bluesky and he was gone. «Account has been suspended ». (Clue 5: suspended, not deleted.)
Reality check: "Be careful out there Jane"
I then got in touch with the person via a different channel asking if the time still held. He told me had NEVER been on Bluesky and said to me "Be careful out there, Jane."
I realized I had been taken in by an imposter (AI apparently). No real harm but a bruised ego and an expanded awareness.
MY TAKEAWAYS TO SHARE WITH YOU
Questions to ask yourself:
Is there a believable, logical reason for the person to contact you? Be realistic!
Is the person speaking highly of you? Don’t let your ego overpower your common sense!
Is an interest expressed in money? Business?
Is the flow and phrasing in the other person’s communication a little too smooth?
In my case., I can now sense an AI tone. I've noticed it often, in many other cases I've read about, and always thought it was obvious and that the person involved should have realized it. But this time I fell into the trap!
My ego overcame my common sense!
Have any of you had a similar experience you'd like to share for the common good of us all?
Thanks for sharing this, Jane. I can see why you found the initial exchange with The Impostor to be plausible. I think I would've too! We are all going to have to get better at recognising that AI-tone.
Thanks for sharing, Jane. Much appreciated.