Scammers Have Breached Substack, & Cloned Popular Writer Tim Denning

This is first time I heard cloning on Substack but I had its pain countless times on Medium. Let’s be more vigilant on this platform too as their impact can be strong!

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Non-members of Medium can read this story for free via my friend link.

Image by Dr Mehmet Yildiz with a photo of Tim Denning and screen captures from Substack.

Dear readers, I trust this message finds you well. The digital landscape is a battleground, even for platforms boasting top-notch security like Substack. Over the past year, my Medium account was cloned numerous times, creating chaos not just for me but also for my readers. Some were even scammed.

I have documented these incidents extensively, but today, I bring a new, urgent issue to light: the infiltration of Substack by scammers. As a writer and part of this digital community, I feel compelled to raise awareness and urge vigilance.

Why address this now? Because this isn’t just a minor inconvenience. While some suggest simply blocking these scammers and moving on, the reality is far more complex. We are interconnected in the online world; harm to one affects many. This isn’t a trivial matter but a collective concern.

A few days ago, I published “After Medium, Scammers Target Substack, But They Cannot Succeed Thanks to Their Securer Platform. The story, which barely got 100 views on Medium, exploded on Substack with over 100K views, amplified further by social media, and went viral on LinkedIn. Readers resonated with it deeply because it revealed a shared but unspoken experience.  Many, too, had been targeted by scammers on Substack Notes.

Today’s scam-alert urgency stems from a shocking development on Substack, giving voice to thousands of creators and illuminating millions of readers. My writer friend and mentor Tim Denning, a prominent figure on Substack and other platforms, was cloned. This incident has rattled the Substack community. This situation affects the mental health of writers and causes financial risks for readers.

Tim, with his extensive following, has been a pillar of the platform. His insightful newsletter Unfiltered was spotlighted by Substack, as documented in my recent interview with Tim titled Why Did I Interview My Aussie Friend Tim Denning Again on Medium & Substack?

These scammers are more deceptive and intrusive than ever, leaving misleading and fraudulent comments by impersonating established writers to ensnare readers in financial scams via WhatsApp, which is a risky tool.

This isn’t just about the writing community anymore; it is a direct threat to the financial security of Substack users. Below, you can see how they mimicked Tim’s full name and photo to perpetrate their scheme. Stay alert and report any suspicious activity. Our collective action can make a difference.

Why did I write this story, especially today?

Touch wood, I haven’t been cloned on Substack after five years. But today, I witnessed my friend and fellow writer, Tim Denning, fall victim to a clone scam, shocking the Substack community.

These scammers have upped their game, leaving deceptive comments on readers’ posts. Unlike Medium’s typical writing community scams, this new wave on Substack targets financial gain through WhatsApp.

They impersonate Tim by using his full name and identical photo to lend credibility to their scheme. This breach is a wake-up call for us all to stay vigilant and protect our digital community from such malicious attacks.

Here is what it looks like.

Screen capture from Substack

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Why does it matter for readers more on Substack than Medium?

Many readers on Medium are not writers, so they might overlook messages about the writing community.

However, on Substack, especially in this economic climate, many free subscribers are likely seeking investment options. An invitation from an established writer like Tim Denning can easily deceive countless vulnerable individuals unaware of such scams.

I highlight this because, despite my 42 years of experience in the information technology and management industry, even I fell victim to scammers in 2022, who accessed my hard-earned retirement funds. This situation was a nightmare and marked the first time in my life that I had to call a lifeline.

Here’s Why I Called a Lifeline for the First Time in My Life Today.
My experience shows the sophistication of these digital scams and the urgent need for awareness and vigilance. We must work together to safeguard our online spaces against these malicious actors.

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Lessons Learned and Practical Tips to Writers and Readers on Both Platforms

We can block offenders on both Substack and Medium. When we do that, it will not affect our audience. Substack and Medium have report features. If you’re a reader, report and block them, but be careful not to accidentally block the original writer as some of my readers did to me.

Also, avoid replying to comments and email notifications to ensure you are not engaging with a scammer. Authentic Medium and Substack writers never leave such overt messages with WhatsApp or Telegram messages. It is against Medium’s and Substack’s rules and policies.

I want to share two poignant examples from my writer friends. They both generously and humbly shared their sad experiences, which offer valuable lessons. You can learn from their situations.

For example, just recently, I read a very sad story that broke my heart, written anonymously by someone whose account was cloned. Please check out this poignant story by Dr. Ali Hechmi Raddaoui and learn from his experience, and take good care.

How I got scammed: The raw storymedium.com

Another authentic writer, Charisse Tyson, was deceived and scammed, which made her feel awful. However, Charisse has since become wiser and now shines both on Medium and Substack.

Scammed on Medium — The Sorted Tale:" I feel like an idiot. Professionals don’t act this waymedium.com

Thankfully, many loyal readers contacted me via email, private messages, social media, or Slack messages, but unfortunately, some of them got scammed and gave their numbers to scammers, thinking they were me.

As a community bound by these large platforms, we trust them to protect our interactions and nurture an environment where true and sincere sharing can flourish. It is their responsibility to protect us, ensuring our community remains vibrant and genuine while we, as writers and readers, stay vigilant and lower scamming risks for ourselves and community members.

Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.

If you are a writer on Medium and Substack, we have a new publication called Substack Mastery. You are welcome to join and share your Substack experience with your fellow writers and discerning readers.

Welcome to “Substack Mastery” Publication by the ILLUMINATION Network on Medium

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Additional Resources from Previous Incidents on Medium

After Medium, Scammers Target Substack, But They Cannot Succeed Thanks to Their Securer Platform.

Fake Accounts Are Ruining Writers’ Reputations and Trust on the Platform

Scam and Spam Accounts on Medium Are As Bad As Hate Speech and Defamation for Writers

Beware of Spam Accounts on Story Comments That Might Cause Security Problems

My Account Was Cloned 3 Times Lately, So Another Reminder to New Readers to Prevent Harm

Bravo, Digital Scammers: A Masterclass in Deception and Algorithm Exploitation [Part I]

Part II: Bravo, Support Staff, Your Neglect Deserves a Standing Ovation

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I wrote this story as a give-back to the writing community as I owe my success to my mentors. Mentorship and collaboration can enhance our knowledge, make awareness and skill-building easy, and make the journey enjoyable on different platforms. I wrote several stories like this for writers and readers and linked them to a list titled Writing, Content Development & Marketing Strategies.

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