If you're worried a fake account is following you, it's more likely they created an account because they wanted to download your paper. They might even have the same research interests as you. They're not fake followers, but simply interested in your work.
"My follower has the same research interests as me!"
When someone signs up and downloads one of your papers, we'll suggest they add the most popular and relevant research interests from your paper to their own profile. If those interests overlap with yours, it can look like a new follower copied your interests.
What are “research interests”?
Research interests are the keywords or topics shown on a profile or tagged on a paper. They help people find relevant research and help Academia recommend researchers to follow.
What to do if you’re concerned
- Open the follower’s profile.
- Review their activity and profile details.
- If something looks suspicious, block or report the account.
Frequently asked questions
What do fake accounts look like?
Academia doesn't require its users to share personal details about themselves. We urge you to be more cautious if the follower’s profile includes information like:
- Promotional content or sales language (discounts, “limited time,” “DM me,” etc.)
- Links to non-academic sites that feel unrelated to research (marketing pages, “get rich quick,” adult content, gambling, crypto, etc.)
- Repeated links across multiple sections (bio, posts, papers) that seem designed to drive clicks
- Content that looks copied or doesn’t match the stated research field
- Requests to move conversations off-platform (WhatsApp/Telegram/email) or to click shortened links
- Profiles that appear to impersonate someone's identity in order to gain followers or trust
Can I stop people from following me?
You can block a profile if you do not want them to follow you. Until you block them, they can still follow you.
Can I reduce notifications about new followers?
Yes. You can change your email notification settings if you want fewer alerts about followers.