How to spot fake Instagram followers

Start with the numbers

Pick the last ten posts and note the likes and comments on each. Add them up, divide by ten, then divide by the follower count. That is the engagement rate, and our IG engagement calculator does it for you. Ordinary accounts usually land somewhere between 1% and 5%, with smaller accounts higher. An account with 50,000 followers and posts that get 120 likes (0.24%) is unusual. That alone doesn’t prove anything, but it is where to look further.

Look at the follower list

Tap the follower count and scroll. Signs that suggest bought or fake accounts include:

• usernames that are random strings of letters and numbers;
• no profile picture, or a picture that appears on several accounts;
• zero or very few posts, all from the same day;
• following thousands of accounts while followed by a handful;
• bios in a language unrelated to the account they follow, repeated across many followers.

Real accounts have a few of these too, so look for patterns across many followers rather than one odd profile.

Look at the growth pattern

Third-party analytics sites chart follower counts over time. Natural growth is lumpy but gradual, with jumps after a viral post or a feature. A flat line followed by a step of thousands in a day, with no post to explain it, is a classic sign of a purchase.

Look at the comments

Generic comments like “Nice 🔥”, “Great post!” or single emojis, especially from accounts with no posts, often come from engagement pods or bought comment packs. Real comments tend to be specific to the post.

Check your own account with Insights

If you have a professional account, Insights shows how many accounts each post reached and what share of those were followers. A follower count that rises while reach stays flat suggests many followers don’t see or engage with posts. Insights also shows top locations and ages; if your audience is supposed to be in Manchester and the top locations are elsewhere, you know something.

What to do if you find fakes on your account

• Leave them, usually. Instagram removes many on its own. Mass-removing them by hand takes time and rarely changes reach.
• Remove obvious spam accounts that comment or message, using Remove follower or Block.
• Stop whatever brought them, especially follow-for-follow apps or anything with your login.

A fair word on bought followers

We sell followers, so we have an obvious interest here. Our honest view: modest packs are visible to anyone who checks closely, which is why we suggest keeping them in proportion and never using them to mislead a brand. If you are an influencer, the sponsored post calculator shows why brands look at engagement first.

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