Snapchat is arguably the most engaging social media platform available on the web. Thanks to the numerous out-of-the-box features like snaps, disappearing messages, and Bitmoji avatars, Snapchatters find themselves in an environment that is more interactive, funny, and secure than most other platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
But this extra layer of security brings an added risk. Due to the greater number of privacy features on Snapchat, it becomes easier for some people to misuse this benefit and indulge in unscrupulous activities like impersonation and bullying. And it becomes difficult to detect fake accounts.
Therefore, if you have received messages from some stranger who claims to be one of your friends, family members, or acquaintances, you need to make sure they are telling the truth. After all, anyone can make a Snapchat account with any username. How would you know if they are really the person they claim to be?
If you have tried finding that out, you know that it’s not a very straightforward task. But you don’t have to worry if you have found your way to this blog, as we are here to tell you how you can know whether a Snapchat account is fake.
We are going to dive into all the possible tricks and hacks that can help you decide whether an account belongs to an imposter or not. So, make sure to read till the end. Let’s start.
Why It’s Difficult to Identify Fake Snapchat Accounts?
Snapchat stands out among social media platforms as one that’s more user-oriented and more privacy-focused than most others.
This significance to privacy is meant to ensure a safe and secure virtual experience for the users. But it also poses a problem. It becomes challenging to know the identity of a Snapchatter by looking at their Profile.
This is mainly due to the following reasons:
- No About Section: If you get a message from a stranger on another platform, such as Facebook or Instagram, you have the option to see the stranger’s Profile information. The Profile info usually tells a lot about the person (unless they have made it private), like their location, profession, interests, etc. This info can help you decide on the authenticity of the account. However, on Snapchat, things are not so easy. There is no About section to tell you some background about the user. All you can see in most cases is the name and username of the person.
- No Profile photo: This one is even more problematic for those who want to check the authenticity of a Snapchatter. You cannot see the Profile photo of a Snapchat user. Instead of the Profile Photo, what you see is a Bitmoji avatar of the person. As much as the Bitmoji looks funny and interactive, it is not of much help if all you want is to see the actual photo of a Snapchatter.
- No friends list: A person’s connections on social media tell a lot about the person. It can be another important factor that can help you determine if an account is real or fake. However, Snapchat doesn’t provide us with that option either. You cannot even see your friend’s friend list, let alone a stranger’s.
The lack of these basic features makes it difficult to identify a user’s information. So, if you want to know whether a Snapchat account is fake, you would have to look for something else. But the question is, where to look?
While it is not possible to be entirely sure of the authenticity of a Snapchat account, you are not entirely lost either. If Snapchat lacks some features, it also has other features that can give you clues.
How to Know if Snapchat Account is Fake
We told you about the problems that can hinder you from finding out the person’s identity. It’s time to talk about the solutions now.
Though some features are absent from Snapchat, there are some other features that can fill the place for the missing ones and can help you.
There are some features on Snapchat that can act as indicators and help you find out whether a Snapchat account is fake. So, without further delay, let’s talk about the possible solutions:
Snapscore
Snapscore is one of the most exciting features native to Snapchat. If you have been using Snapchat for a while without knowing what snapscore is and how you can increase yours, you are not a true Snapchatter. We are not kidding! Snapcore is a feature that manages to catch the attention of most Snapchat users.
Users can increase their scores by interacting more on the app. This includes sending and receiving snaps, posting and viewing stories, making more friends, and doing various other activities on the app. In short, the more you use Snapchat, the more your Snapscore will be.
The snapscore of a user adds to the overall value of the account. Generally, a fake account would not have a great snapscore. If you see that a user doesn’t have a good snapscore, it might serve as a clue. To see the snapscore of an account, follow these steps:
Step 1: Open the Snapchat app on your phone and log in to your account.
Step 2: Open the Profile of the person you want to check.
If you have chatted with the person before, you can swipe right from the Camera tab to go to the Chats tab, where you will see the list of everyone you have chatted with. Tap on the bitmoji of the required user to open the Profile section.
Step 3: In the Profile section, you will see some basic info about the account, like the name, username, and avatar. Just below the Profile avatar, you can see the snapscore of the person.
As you might have understood, the snapscore can help you decide whether an account is authentic. But it’s not wholly reliable. A real account might have a low snapscore, and a fake might have a high score. Therefore, you need to look at the other indicators as well, as discussed below.
Stories
Stories on Snapchat are another way to keep track of a user’s activity on Snapchat. And, when it comes to finding out if an account is fake, stories are more reliable than snapscores.
By posting stories, users can share the updates of their day with fellow Snapchatters. They can add their photos and videos to their stories and mention other people. By looking at the stories of a Snapchatter, you can potentially tell if it’s a fake account.
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