Scammers impersonate KUOW journalist to sell fake interview opportunities

KUOW journalist Katie Campbell says scammers impersonating her contacted at least 43 authors with fake interview pitches, then sought payment from those who responded. In a first-person account, Campbell describes how AI-generated messages and borrowed newsroom credibility helped make the approaches appear convincing. At least one author paid the impersonator.

KUOW says it neither charges nor pays for interviews or news coverage. Campbell’s account offers a practical warning for news organizations whose names and journalists can be used to deceive sources: make legitimate contact channels clear, alert affected communities and encourage recipients to verify unexpected approaches directly with the newsroom.

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