A preferred health influencer and actuality tv star has issued a warning after discovering somebody has been impersonating him and soliciting express photos from underage women.
In March, Kalani Lenehan started receiving messages from girls who thought that they had been chatting with the 22-year-old on Snapchat.
Mr Lenehan, knowledgeable bodybuilder who took out the highest prize on Community 10 sequence Gladiators in January, was horrified to listen to what his impostor had been doing.
“From what I’ve been advised, the entire ploy was utilizing my photographs and movies to fake to be me, then messaging girls – together with underage women, from what I hear – to get express photographs.
“This individual has even hopped on calls with women. It seems like a younger Australian man, apparently, so I assume it’s simple to consider it may very well be me.”
When he first grew to become conscious of the faux Snapchat, Mr Lenehan posted a message to his Instagram warning his followers of the state of affairs.
“I had dozens and dozens of messages from girls who thought it had been me they had been speaking with,” he mentioned. “I’ve heard from numerous individuals who’ve been duped.”
Mr Lenehan mentioned he felt violated, however his major concern was with those that had been affected.
“I actually really feel for the individuals this has occurred to as a result of a whole lot of them gave the impression to be underage. Younger individuals are so impressionable and weak.”
He instantly reported the account to Snapchat by way of the app and likewise submitted a prolonged and detailed 1000-word grievance by way of its web site.
Shockingly, he obtained a response from the platform that an investigation had discovered no wrongdoing.
“It was positively disappointing,” he mentioned of the social media large’s dealing with of the state of affairs.
“Particularly a platform that could be a large factor for creators now. Lots of creators use Snapchat primarily over every part else now. So, you’ll suppose it might have some form of customer support or at the least a workforce that takes issues like this severely.
“It might’ve been dealt with so much higher. I hoped after the primary formal report I made that it might be learn and acted on immediately.”
Sadly, he’s no stranger to being impersonated on-line with numerous faux profiles on courting apps and social media profiles popping up over time.
“It’s occurred to me ever since I’ve been on social media,” Mr Lenehan mentioned.
“Folks carry my photographs of Instagram and make profiles and speak to individuals, pretending to be me. That’s bizarre in itself, however this had an entire new stage to it.”
The dodgy account disappeared on Tuesday but it surely’s unclear whether or not Snapchat eliminated it or the impostor deleted it over the rising consideration from Mr Lenehan’s followers.
However inside an hour, one other faux consumer utilizing the identical stolen profile photograph had popped up.
“I’m guessing it’s the identical man,” Mr Lenehan mentioned.
He chronicles his health journey throughout a number of platforms and has amassed a sizeable following over time, however his look on Gladiators boosted his profile.
“It’s a household present, so I used to be all of the sudden reaching a more moderen viewers – a youthful demographic. Children come into the place I work with their mother and father, or they see me on the road and say whats up, and so they know me from Gladiators.”
Within the wake of the saga, Mr Lenehan desires his followers to know that the actions of the impostor are the “whole reverse” of his character.
“That’s one thing I’d not do – being pushy with women, being aggressive and asking for express materials. With my content material, I all the time attempt to present a really constructive picture.
“That is my job so I take social media very severely. I’m additionally a fairly personal individual relating to relationships, so these aren’t conversations I’m having.”
Whereas Mr Lenehan is energetic on social media, he has just one official profile on every platform – together with Snapchat. Anybody speaking with one other consumer is being misled, he mentioned.
“Be actually good and cautious,” Mr Lenehan mentioned. “I solely use my official accounts and no others.
“Additionally, simply because somebody has a following, don’t allow them to reap the benefits of that, as a result of I’m certain there are lots of people on the market that leverage their profile in methods like that.”
Information.com.au has approached Snap Inc for remark.