Tim Cook fake Instagram account fools several high-profile followers

WEB DESK: Instagram has taken down an account impersonating Apple’s CEO Tim Cook. However, not before this imposter account managed to deceive a number of high-profile executives within the tech industry.

The fake account, @tim.d.cook, made its appearance on Instagram in July 2023. Its legitimacy was initially assumed by some, including 9to5Mac, as it garnered followers from various Apple VPs. Among those who followed the account were Lisa Jackson, Apple’s VP of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives, and Alan Dye, VP of Design.

However, the truth behind the account was uncovered, leading 9to5Mac to update their article titled “Apple CEO Tim Cook is now on Instagram – but not yet on Threads.”

While Tim Cook is an active presence on social media, boasting official accounts on platforms like Twitter and the Chinese microblogging site Weibo, the fake account suggested a foray into Instagram. With the emergence of new platforms like Meta’s Threads and the evolution of Twitter into X, it was almost believable that Cook was exploring different online avenues.

This misconception was also fueled by other tech figures like Google’s Sundar Pichai and Apple Fellow Phil Schiller joining the Threads platform.

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