A coordinated online influence operation used fake social media accounts with stolen photos of at least 17 European women, including Dutch influencer Debbie Nederlof, to promote pro-Trump rhetoric, and MAGA content, according to a report by The Center for Information Resilience (CIR).
One of the fake personas, "Luna," amassed over 30,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter) and spread pro-Trump messaging and conspiracy theories using Nederlof's photos without her consent.
The fake accounts had verified blue check marks and pushed anti-vaccine misinformation, COVID-19 conspiracies, and false information on US political issues.
There is no evidence directly implicating the Trump campaign in this deceptive scheme.
The motive behind this digital deception remains unclear, but experts suggest it is part of a large-scale influence operation aimed at swaying public opinion.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq
Sources: CNN, France24, TopBuzzTimes, RawStory, NewsX.