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The Powell House Press

Navigating the Rise of Fake Accounts on Professional Networking Platforms

By Josh Powell

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Joshua Powell
Mar 22, 2025
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The Jungle That Is Social Media

By Josh Powell

As a verified LinkedIn member designated as a “Top Voice” and influencer on the platform, I’ve built a reputation sharing healthcare insights backed by credible references. My work appears in prestigious publications like The New England Journal of Medicine and through publishers such as the Hachette Book Group. In short, I maintain a legitimate professional presence.

Recently, however, I’ve noticed a concerning trend: an increase in interactions with accounts that display hallmarks of being either automated bots or human trolls deliberately causing disruption.

One particularly telling exchange occurred after I published content about AIDS and HIV. A purported Vice President and Director at “Suisse Bank” in New York responded with irrelevant religious commentary, then pivoted to questioning my pronouns before accusing me of having “issues with smart professional women”-a baseless claim with no connection to my content or professional history.

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