Some influencers do all kinds of weird things to gain popularity on social media. From lying about their lifestyle to editing their pictures, they’ve done it all and have been exposed for faking it.
Here’s a list of influencers who were called out for their lies and actions.
1. Last year in July, a Chinese vlogger was exposed for using facial filters to make herself look younger.
This blogger who goes by the name “Her Royal Highness Qiao Biluo” on social media was called out for using filters on her face to make herself look younger. Hailed as a ‘cute goddess’ she got exposed when a technical glitch occurred while she was live streaming. She was actually a 58-year-old woman who was claiming to be much younger.
2. This YouTuber was exposed for faking colour blindness in 2016.
Logan Paul made a video where he claimed his colour blindness was cured by a pair of sunglasses. In reality, he didn’t have any colour blindess and he could see all colours. In his defense he said that he just wanted to make amazing content which showed what it means to be colour blind. He also accepted that he did exaggerate his reaction. Here’s the video.
3. In 2019, this Instagram couple were criticized when they asked for $11,000 from their followers to be able to go on a vaction.
Catalin Onc and Elena Engelhardt who own an Instagram page named Another Beautiful Day Official literally asked their followers to help them raise €10,000 so that they could go on a trip to Africa and this didn’t go down well with their followers. People called them out for being “egotistical brats” and “shameful, self-indulgent bludgers.”
4. This Instagram influencer was exposed for documenting her motorcycle crash and was accused of sponsoring the posts and glamorizing the accident.
In August 2019, Tiffany Mitchell posted a series of photos on Instagram just after being involved in a motorcycle crash. But, her followers weren’t convinced. They accused her of glamorizing the accident, and some even suggested that it looked like it had been sponsored by SmartWater. In her defense, Mitchell said that it was never her intention to bring negative attention to the post and she was simply grateful someone had documented the experience.
5. This young YouTuber was exposed by her dad for lying about her age and also duping people into thinking she was pregnant.
In 2019, Danielle Cohn came into the limelight when questions about her age and her suggestive posts started doing rounds on the internet. Apart from lying about her age, she also lied about being pregnant. Ultimately, she was exposed by her own dad on Facebook where he shared a lengthy post (deleted now) claiming that his daughter was just 13 years old and that he’d had enough of Danielle being online in a way he didn’t ‘approve’ of. To which she replied by saying that she doesn’t do anything she doesn’t want to.
6. This Chinese influencer was called out by her landlord, last year in September, for pretending to live a glamorous lifestyle. In reality, she lived in a filthy apartment.
Lisa Li was living a life full of lies. She often boasted about her luxurious lifestyle but, in reality she lived in an apartment that was in a complete mess. She was exposed by her landlord who filmed a video showing moldy food, unwashed dishes, dog excrement, and a filthy cage in the apartment. Later, Li apologized to her landlord and got to cleaning the apartment.
7. This so called Instagram influencer was mocked for promoting “butthole sunning” in 2019.
Known as Metaphysical Meagan on Instagram, this ‘healer’ was called out by her fans and followers for promoting “perineum sunning” to boost energy, regulate hormones and strengthen organs. For those who don’t know, “perineum/butthole sunning” is a method where you have to aim your butthole at the sky for 5 minutes per day.
8. In November 2019, this YouTuber was called out by her followers for lying about the fact that her house was haunted.
Daisy Marquez, a YouTuber posted a video on Twitter claiming that she was experiencing paranormal activity at home. You could see a door mysteriously open behind her but, her followers weren’t convinced. They accused her of staging the entire thing. Though, Daisy denied the allegations.
9. Sarah McDaniel, an Instagram influencer lied about having heterochromia (two different coloured iris’) and her career was basically ruined because of it.
Last year in March, she got exposed when people noticed that her eye color kept changing, often going from being a deep blue to a bright turquoise. Her dad agreed that she was lying too. In her defense she said that her eyes sometimes look different in different light and that she does have heterochromia.
10. This Instagram influencer was called out by her own sister for faking a hiking picture.
In 2019, Casey Sosnowski from Florida posted a picture of herself going on a hike at Lake Okahumpka Park and Trail. Everything seemed fine until her sister, Carly stated that the picture was actually clicked in their backyard and not the hiking park, as Casey claimed.
11. Indian fashion influencer Santoshi Shetty received flak for offering therapy for ₹1500 on Instagram.
In July 2020, fashion blogger Santoshi Shetty announced an initiative called Flying Cheese on Instagram where she offered one-on-one therapy sessions for ₹1500. She stated that she wanted to start a conversation on mental health and help those who are struggling to deal with it. The entire purpose of this initiative was to give positive vibes and energy but, it back fired. Netizens and mental health professionals were quick to call her out for her irresponsible and insensitive move. Later, she did apologise for her post.
12. Famous Tik-Toker’s Charli D’Amelio and her sister Dixie were called out for their controversial behaviour in a YouTube video which was posted in November this year.
The D’Amelio sisters lost a huge fan following on TikTok after they were seen being rude to their private chef in a YouTube video titled Dinner With The D’Amelios. Also during the dinner, Charli complained about not reaching the milestone 100 million yet and that didn’t go down well with her followers. Viewer’s were very upset with their attitude. In her defense, she said that they should have done better on their part with the editing and that they take full responsibility for their actions. Here’s the video.
13. This Swedish Instagram influencer was trolled heavily after she apparently faked a trip to Paris in 2018.
28-year-old Johanna Olsson was apparently on an all-expense paid trip to Paris but, her pictures from the trip led people into believing that she had heavily photoshopped her pictures. In fact, in one of the pictures she appears to be ‘floating’ on a bridge on the River Seine. After facing backlash, she admitted that she had photoshopped the image to get a good background. Here’s the picture.
14. In 2018, this influencer was exposed by the owner of a hotel for asking for a free stay.
UK-based blogger Elle Darby sent an email to the owner of The White Moose Cafe and the Charleville Lodge Hotel asking for a free stay in his hotel. After receiving this bizarre request, the hotel shared a screenshot of her email on their official page and it went viral. Her fans called her out for being a freeloader. The hotel later also released a statement stating that no influencer would be allowed to stay in their premise and that they were banned.
15. Instagram influencer Nitibha Kaul got called out for using poor people as objects and props for a Sabyasachi X H&M photoshoot.
She uploaded several pictures on her Instagram in which she can be seen posing wearing the latest Sabyasachi X H&M collection saree along with poor people in the background.
Nitibha Kaul appeared in season 10 of the popular reality show Bigg Boss in 2016.
The things people do on social media.