List of impostors explained

An impostor (also spelled imposter)[1] is a person who pretends to be somebody else, often through means of disguise.

Their objective is usually to try to gain financial or social advantages through social engineering or through means of identity theft, but also often for purposes of espionage or law enforcement.

Notable impostors

False nationality claims

False minority national identity claims

False royal heritage claims

See also: False pretenders

Fraudsters

Wartime impostors and spies

Many women in history have presented themselves as men in order to advance in typically male-dominated fields. There are many documented cases of this in the military during the American Civil War.[21] However, their purpose was rarely for fraudulent gain. They are listed in the List of wartime cross-dressers.

Spies have often pretended to be people other than they were. One famous case was that of Chevalier d'Eon (1728–1810), a French diplomat who successfully infiltrated the court of Empress Elizabeth of Russia by presenting as a woman.

Military impostors

See main article: Military impostors. Historically, when military record-keeping was less accurate than today, some persons—primarily men—falsely claimed to be war veterans to obtain military pensions. Most did not make extravagant claims, because they were seeking money, not public attention that might expose their fraud. In the modern world, reasons for posing as a member of the military or exaggerating one's service record vary, but the intent is almost always to gain the respect and admiration of others.[22]

Multiple impostors

Others

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Definition of impostor . Merriam-Webster . December 13, 2023 . December 16, 2023.
  2. Jackson. Lauren Michele. The Layered Deceptions of Jessica Krug, the Black-Studies Professor Who Hid That She Is White. 2020-09-13. The New Yorker. 12 September 2020. en-us.
  3. Web site: Eskin . Blake . 2008-08-18 . The Girl Who Cried Wolf: A Holocaust Fairy Tale . 2023-10-30 . Boston Magazine . en-US.
  4. Web site: Rachel Dolezal Admits She Was 'Biologically Born White' but Maintains That She Identifies as Black.
  5. News: White GWU professor admits she falsely claimed Black identity. The Washington Post. 2020-09-03. Lauren Lumpkin and Susan Svrluga.
  6. Web site: Keeler . Jacqueline . Sacheen Littlefeather was a Native American icon. Her sisters say she was an ethnic fraud . . 23 October 2022 . 22 October 2022.
  7. News: The Anonymous Professor Who Wasn't. Jonah Engel. Bromwich. Ezra. Marcus. The New York Times . August 4, 2020.
  8. Web site: Jaschik. Scott. 6 July 2015. Fake Cherokee? Scholar who has made name as Cherokee is accused of not having Native American roots. 2020-09-10. www.insidehighered.com. en.
  9. News: Fake Saudi prince Anthony Gignac jailed for $8m fraud . 6 August 2022 . BBC News . BBC . BBC . 1 June 2019.
  10. Web site: How Frank Abagnale Would Swindle You. U.S. News . Luke . Mullins. May 19, 2008. February 14, 2011.
  11. News: Noble. Kenneth B.. Doctor's Specialty Turns Out to Be Masquerade. The New York Times. 17 April 1996.
  12. News: Shafer. Jack. Who Is "Robert Klingler"?. Slate. 12 March 2002.
  13. News: Donelly. Beau. Toscano, Nick. The Whole Pantry author Belle Gibson admits she lied about having terminal cancer. 22 April 2015. smh.com.au. 22 April 2015.
  14. Web site: CNBC pundit and hedge-fund operator at heart of $4 million Ponzi scheme. NY Daily News. October 13, 2014.
  15. News: Hawker . Diane . So young, so rich, so many questions . Nov 7, 2010 . 2022-07-15 . Independent Online . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220715175620/https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/so-young-so-rich-so-many-questions-730932 . 2022-07-15.
  16. News: Mashaba . Sibongile . Bogus billionaire's trail of debts . May 12, 2011 . 2022-07-26 . SowetanLIVE . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220726194054/https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2011-05-12-bogus-billionaires-trail-of-debts/ . 2022-07-26.
  17. News: Wasserman . Helena . SA's 'fake billionaire' is back, now selling shares on special to Somizi's followers . Jul 3, 2021 . 2022-07-15 . Fin24 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210703183217/https://www.news24.com/fin24/companies/industrial/sas-fake-billionaire-is-back-now-selling-shares-on-special-to-somizis-followers-20210703 . 2021-07-03.
  18. News: Griesser . Andy . . Sex Under Duress: Cal. Court Upholds Rape Conviction for Ruse to Obtain Sex . https://web.archive.org/web/20080821144558/http://www.abanet.org/journal/redesign/home.html . 2010-06-27 . 2003-02-07 . dead . August 21, 2008 .
  19. News: Sorokin, Who Swindled N.Y.'s Elite, Is Sentenced to 4 to 12 Years in Prison . Ransom . Jan . . May 9, 2019 . limited . July 11, 2022.
  20. News: Doktor Dreist. Doctor Brazen. von Lüpke. Marc. 1 November 2013. Der Spiegel. de.
  21. Web site: Shearer. Lee. Brothers in arms?: Civil War reality predates transgender debate. Athens Banner-Herald. 18 April 2018. 14 April 2018.
  22. Book: Henry Mark Holzer. Fake Warriors: Identifying, Exposing, and Punishing Those Who Falsify Their Military Service. August 9, 2012. Madison Press. 978-0985243784.
  23. News: Jim . Rutenberg . At Fox News, The Colonel Who Wasn't . The New York Times . April 29, 2002 .
  24. News: Fake War Stories Exposed. Ehrenberg. Nicholas. November 11, 2005. CBS News. 18 December 2014.
  25. Book: Burkett, B. G.. Stolen Valor : How the Vietnam Generation Was Robbed of Its Heroes and Its History. 1st. September 2, 1998. Verity Pr Inc.. 096670360X.
  26. McColl . Alexander . 1996-08-01 . Full Mental Jacket . . en . 21 . 8 . 3739 . 0145-6784 . 76647216 . 2778757 . . dmy-all.
  27. News: Marshall . John . Ellis doesn't want to revisit his own past. Seattle Post Intelligencer. 2004-12-07. 2008-07-08.
  28. News: Joseph . Ellis . Further Statement of Joseph J. Ellis. mountholyoke.edu. 2001-08-17. 2006-08-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060715135033/http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/comm/news/ellisstatement.html . 2006-07-15.
  29. News: Historian 'posed as a war hero' . BBC News . 3 July 2009.
  30. Web site: Brian Ross and Vic Walter. Anti-War YouTube 'Vet' Admits He Is Faker. ABC News. September 21, 2007. 2007-09-22.
  31. Web site: David M. . Oshinsky . March 17, 2020 . Fact from Fiction: Joseph McCarthy the Tail Gunner . HistoryNet.com . July 14, 2022.
  32. News: Seenan. Gerard. Captain Sir Alan KBE - call-centre worker. the Guardian. 11 April 2006.
  33. News: Micah Wright Comes Clean, Ranger Story a Hoax. CBR. 2 May 2004.
  34. Laura Plitt, producer, "Frederic Bourdin – the man who changed his identity 500 times," BBC News, 19 October 2012.
  35. News: Rockefeller impostor gets 27 years in prison; maintains innocence. Los Angeles Times. Hailey Branson-Potts. August 15, 2013. August 15, 2013.
  36. Web site: 'Japan's Beethoven' Samuragochi paid hearing composer to write music . Guardian News and Media Limited . The Guardian . 5 February 2014 . 6 February 2014.
  37. Web site: The Amazing, Untrue Story Of A Sept. 11 Survivor. NPR Staff. March 26, 2012. NPR.org.
  38. News: In a 9/11 Survival Tale, the Pieces Just Don't Fit. David W. Dunlap and Serge F. Kovalevski. September 27, 2007. The New York Times. Tania Head's story, as shared over the years with reporters, students, friends and hundreds of visitors to ground zero, was a remarkable account of both life and death. . September 27, 2007.
  39. News: 'MI5' conman wins sentence appeal. BBC. 25 April 2007.
  40. Web site: Spanish Nazi camp 'survivor' lied . . A leading representative of Holocaust survivors in Spain has admitted to being "an impostor" . 12 May 2005 .
  41. News: Steve Rannazzisi, Comedian Who Told of 9/11 Escape, Admits He Lied. Serge F. . Kovaleski. September 16, 2015. September 16, 2015. The New York Times.
  42. News: Day. Elizabeth. I love you Phillip Morris: a conman's story. the Guardian. 5 September 2009.
  43. News: Ashford . Grace . Gold . Michael . December 19, 2022 . Who Is Rep.-Elect George Santos? His Résumé May Be Largely Fiction. . https://archive.today/20221222202438/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/19/nyregion/george-santos-ny-republicans.html . December 22, 2022 . . limited . December 19, 2022.
  44. News: Gold . Michael . Ashford . Grace . December 26, 2022 . George Santos Admits to Lying About College and Work History . en-US . The New York Times . December 27, 2022. limited .
  45. News: Lapppin. Elana. The Boy Who had Two Lives. The Independent. 6 June 1999.
  46. News: Police Seek Motive for Canada Killing Spree by Denture Fitter . Dan . Bilefsky . Catherine . Porter . Ian . Austen . . April 20, 2020 . limited . July 13, 2022.