Fake Linda and me: the Agatha Christie-worthy mystery of the fraudster who stole my byline
How a string of bizarre events led writer Linda Geddes to don her sleuthing cap and dig into a world of shadowy impersonators It started with an entirely ordinary interaction on LinkedIn. Someone had tagged me in a post, saying how much they’d enjoyed contributing to a New York Post article I’d written about “chronoworking”. As the author of a book about circadian rhythms, it was exactly the sort…
Linda Geddes, a science writer known for her work on circadian rhythms, discovered she was the victim of a fraudulent impostor. The fake identity, dubbed "Fake Linda," began impersonating her on LinkedIn, Nature journals, Science, and even attempting to publish under her name. The impersonator also claimed to have pitched stories to Nature Medicine and Health, adding to the confusion.
In some instances, the quotes within the New York Post article were taken from previously published works without proper attribution. The motive behind the impersonation remains unclear, but it could be an attempt to boost the fraudster's earnings or damage the reputations of established writers. Similar incidents have occurred in other fields, with notable cases like Eric Topol, a Scripps Institute professor, who found his name on a scientific paper he did not write, with co-authors unaware of the publication.
Dr. Simon Miller, director of policy, strategy, and communications at Cifas, described the case as "Agatha Christie-worthy" and emphasized the unusual nature of the impersonation.
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