Hoax Twitter account poses as BBC journalist and posts fake news about polling stations

A bogus Twitter account posing as a BBC journalist posted fake news about people being turned away and intimidated at UK polling stations today.

The hoax account, using the name Elliot Mecklenburg, had a screenshot of the BBC News logo as its cover photo and adopted the username @BBCElliotMeck to appear as though the account of a legitimate reporter.

The fraud was spotted by PA social media journalist Alastair Reid, who pointed out in a tweet that the account was created this month and used a stock picture of an unknown man as its profile picture – both giveaway signs of a fake account.

He said: “Already seeing quite a few dodgy-looking Twitter accounts trying to spread stories of problems at polling stations today #GeneralElection.”

Reid said of the hoax tweeter: “This is basically fake account 101:

• Reverse image search profile pic
• Search for the name
• Check the join date
• Check for other reports.”

The account tweeted fake reports of minorities being intimidated at polling booths in the West Midlands, and a woman in Scotland being turned away from a polling station due to a lack of disabled access.

One tweet read: “UKIP/EDL types intimidating women and minorities outside polling station in Walsall. Trying to confirm. #GeneralElection17 #Vote2017.”

Within 15 minutes of Reid’s tweet highlighting the account, Twitter had suspended it.

Press Gazette was told the BBC had no comment on the matter.