tl;dr
Scam bots are invading Substack Notes, leaving flirtatious or friendly comments to lure users into romance and advance-fee scams. Learn how to spot and avoid them before they draw you into a con.
Scam Bots Masquerading as Friendly Commenters
If you’re active on Substack Notes, you may have noticed an influx of odd, overly friendly comments from unfamiliar profiles. You might post a light-hearted note, a joke, or even a selfie, and suddenly your comments fill with messages like “Hi handsome,” “You look good,” or simply “Hello.”
At first glance, these may seem like harmless greetings. But in many cases, they come from automated scam accounts. That is, nasty little bots programmed to mimic genuine users in an attempt to initiate contact and eventually lead you into a scam.
My Personal Experience
This is currently happening to me. A week or so ago, I posted a rather innocuous tongue-in-cheek haiku on Notes that included a selfie. I’ve since received dozens of bot comments like the ones described above. I’m playing daily wack-a-mole to get rid of the damned things.
How the Bots Operate
These comment bots usually follow a predictable pattern:
They target public posts, especially those that include personal photos or conversational tones.
They leave generic, friendly, or flirtatious comments designed to grab your attention or flatter you into responding.
Their profiles look real at first glance, but often consist of just a first name combined with random numbers, a pleasant profile photo, and minimal posting history.
If you reply, the scammer may attempt to move the conversation to another platform such as WhatsApp, Telegram, or email.
That’s where the real scam begins. From there, they may try to pull you into a romance scam, an “investment opportunity,” or an advance-fee scam such as a fake inheritance or lottery win.
These comments are not about genuine interaction. Instead, they’re digital bait designed to lure you into private communication where scammers can manipulate or exploit you. They also play on our natural tendency to be polite and answer people who have seemingly interacted with us.
The Tell-Tale Signs of a Comment Bot
You can often identify a comment bot or scam account by watching for these red flags:
Generic comments: Short, vague messages like “hi,” “hello,” or “you’re beautiful.”
Suspicious profiles: Usernames with random numbers, no bio, and little or no posting history.
Attractive but fake profile photos: Images that seem too polished, revealing, or model-like, often stolen from elsewhere.
Rapid engagement: Dozens of similar comments appear on different posts in a short time frame.
Attempts to move off-platform: Requests to continue chatting elsewhere are a clear sign of a scam.
What To Do If You’re Targeted
If you encounter these bots on Substack Notes (or any other social platform):
Don’t reply or engage. Any response encourages the scammer to continue targeting you.
Report and block the account. Substack allows users to block and report suspicious profiles. Doing so helps reduce their reach.
Avoid clicking on links. Never click links or share contact details with unverified profiles.
Stay sceptical. Flattery, friendliness, or flirtation from strangers online is often a scam tactic, not genuine interest.
A Growing Problem Across Platforms
This type of scam bot activity isn’t unique to Substack. Similar comment bots plague Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X, often using the same combination of fake photos and friendly messages to lure victims. As social platforms grow, scammers quickly adapt their tactics to exploit new user bases. Substack Notes, with its open engagement model, is an attractive new hunting ground.
The Bottom Line
These comment bots are not harmless. Behind each “hi handsome” or “you look nice” is a potential scammer hoping to trick you into a costly or emotionally damaging con.
If you see these comments on your Substack posts, ignore, block, and report. Warn others to do the same.
Staying alert helps keep Substack Notes a safer space for genuine discussion and community connection.
A screenshot of some of the bot comments:
