WARNING TRUMP SUPPORTERS: Beware of Fake Russian 'Patriotic' Twitter Accounts

UPDATE: RAIR Foundation USA is very happy to report that it appears that all of the accounts highlighted in this article have been suspended. Stay vigilant, friends! – Ed

NOTE: The since-deleted accounts actively promoted the YouTube Page: RepublicanRinse

Do you follow any of these accounts? A RAIR Foundation USA study of certain Twitter accounts posing as pro-conservative appear to be Russian propaganda being strangely propped up by Twitter. The accounts are easy to spot once one knows the formula.

While Russia is notorious for playing sides against one another during elections in America, it is likely that the motive for these fake profiles is money, as these accounts attempt to sell merchandise.

The Twitter accounts generally follow most of the following criteria:

• Accounts have very few tweets
• Accounts tweet a patriotic story, typically about how they have been hurt by Democrats.
• They oftentimes have a “Trump” background.
• They claim that they will follow people back, but they don’t.
• They often retweet each-other.
• They often (but not always!) follow Russian accounts.
• They try to sell Trump merchandise.

Take Sgt. Curtis MAGA Veteran:

Following the formula, “Sgt. Curtis MAGA Veteran” has only eight tweets and follows Russian accounts. His profile photo can also be found in a November 11, 2016 Observer article about a student named Thomas Arrington who was harrassed at his college for supporting President Trump. It appears that “Sgt. Curtis MAGA Veteran” is a fraud.

Meet Ms. Anderson #ElementaryTeacher #Trump2020:

Ms. Anderson’s real name is Quran. In 2018, she was described as “an art major at Howard University” who scammed Trump supporters into giving her money for university because her parents kicked her out for supporting the president. But this account is not even Quran. It is another fake Russian account.

Meet Officer Damon Shaw #LouisvilleCop:

While Officer Damon Shaw does not follow Russian accounts, this author is confident that he is a Russian troll, as he follows the formula of giving a sob story and telling his readers that he will follow them back:

Further, an image search further reveals that Officer Damon Shaw is a fraud, stealing the image of Police Chief Robert Herman from Middletown, KY.

Here are some screenshots of other fake accounts. Be warned, friends.