On October 1, Forbes magazine published its list of the 100 best influencers of 2020. These public figures operate in various fields: fashion, business, lifestyle, technology, etc., across platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.

Influencers would not be what they are without a large number of followers (hundreds of thousands, millions in some cases). This is one of their indicators of success, and through it, they can obtain a real economic return from the companies that hire them.

However, what is the flip side of the coin?

If we analyze this list of Influencers included in the prestigious publication, we recognize names that at some point have made headlines, not for their work, but because they have been victims of crimes or cybercrimes at some point in their professional careers.

A recent example was the case of Rocío Osorno, who has been a victim of harassment in her private life on several occasions. As she herself recounted in her Instagram Stories, she had to face a situation of identity theft. A fake account, pretending to be managed by her, was actually trying to scam her followers and access their bank details. In fact, some of her followers fell for the scam. She joined forces with Rocío to file a joint complaint and try to prevent more victims and possible damage to her reputation.

The risks that public figures face are numerous; below, we list the most significant ones:

• Identity theft.
• Economic extortion.
• Cyberharassment.
• Sexual cyberharassment.
• Harassment in the personal sphere.
• Cyber scams.
• Account hacking.
• Illicit access to cloud content or devices (e.g., intimate photographs).
• Reputation-damaging campaigns.
• Device or account hijacking.

Most influencers with significant prestige or a proven track record as a ‘business’ invest a portion of their profits in managers and content creators, talent agencies, brand contract management, and many other services, but they do not prioritize their own cyber protection and risk minimization strategy.

What does it mean to be a victim of cybercriminals when everything depends on your Personal Brand?

For an Influencer, their Personal Brand and reputation are everything. If it were damaged or surrounded by certain controversies, their business and future could be severely affected.

While many still underestimate the ability of influencers to generate business and truly impact their audience, it is a job that involves building a strong identity, a community that truly believes in the ‘product,’ and above all, daily and constant dedication: without disconnection.

The popularity of these individuals sometimes leads detractors or cybercriminals to choose them as their next victims, orchestrating a targeted attack through their mobile devices, personal/professional accounts, or even through incidents in their ‘offline’ life:

• Device hijacking.
• Social media profile hijacking.
• Access to banking information.
• Financial theft or demands for payment ‘in exchange’ for restoring normalcy.
• Access to intimate images.
• Access to contact details: postal address, personal phone number, partner’s or children’s data, etc.
• Scamming or hacking followers or fans.
• Phishing or Ransomware via links or files received by email or SMS.

Some of the most significant consequences that these targeted attacks on an Influencer can entail are:

• Loss of credibility among the audience.
• Problems in their personal and professional relationships.
• Financial losses:
  • Due to money being handed over to cybercriminals.
  • Due to withdrawal of brands and sponsors.
  • Due to loss of business.
  • If they suffer an attack targeting their banking credentials or credit cards.
  • From the investment required to resolve the crises generated.

In many cases, economic extortion comes from users located in third countries with legislation difficult to reconcile with the punishment of the crime. At onBRANDING, we are aware that these crimes help finance criminal organizations, such as terrorist groups.

Protection and prevention as elements for success.

Observing the risks and threats that a public figure faces, it does not seem so unreasonable that part of their investment in services should be directed towards their own cyber protection and cybersecurity, as a small breach in their behavior as a user, as an Influencer, or in their own devices can lead to a reputational and economic problem that is difficult to manage, and with significant repercussions among the audience and the media.

Three simple elements are key to prevention:

• Use a unique password for each platform.
• Use a different email account for social media, one that does not coincide with any used in professional, banking, etc., contexts.
• Link your mobile phone to the social network and activate two-factor authentication.

Prevention is key, and at onBranding, we are experts in strategies and implementation of cyber protection systems, as well as monitoring, reputation management, and crisis prevention and management services.