Mediakix

Mediakix was an influencer marketing agency that in 2017 conducted — and publicly admitted to — creating two entirely fake Instagram influencer accounts, buying followers and engagement to inflate their metrics, and successfully pitching those fake accounts to real brands for paid sponsorship deals. While Mediakix framed this as an industry exposé, it demonstrated its own capability and willingness to facilitate paid brand deals for accounts with entirely fabricated audiences. The agency later shut down, with its operations absorbed into other entities.

━━━ DOCUMENTED INCIDENTS ━━━

▸ Case #1 — Fake Influencer Experiment: Two Fabricated Accounts Win Real Brand Deals (Adweek, 2017) Mediakix documented in its own blog and in Adweek that it created 'calibeachgirl310' (lifestyle model) and 'wanderingggirl' (stock photo travel account), purchased 30,000–50,000 fake followers, bought likes and comments, then submitted both to influencer marketing platforms. Both fake accounts secured paid brand deals with a swimsuit company, an alcohol brand, and a national food-and-beverage firm. Total ad spend to create each fake influencer was under $300, with secured brand deals worth $130–$400 each. Adweek and Campaign US covered the experiment as a landmark demonstration of systematic fraud in influencer marketing.