Instagram account busts rappers wearing fake designer watches

An Instagram user called FakeWatchBusta is making a name for himself by identifying which rappers and other celebrities are wearing counterfeit timepieces. His account features photographs of the famous people, their knock-off watches, and explanations for why they’re fake. FakeWatchBusta’s list of victims so far includes rappers like Soulja Boy, American football player Garrett Wolfe, and even multi-millionaire Mohamed Hadid. Despite his seeming talent for spotting replicas, the 30-year-old is not professionally connected to the luxury watch industry. He is a “detail freak” and a “watch geek” fascinated with their mechanical aspects, according to Noisey.

Unsurprisingly, the self-styled “Horological Batman” has been threatened with lawsuits. Noisey reports that he receives a cease & desist letter almost once a week. And while mostly motivated by humour, FakeWatchBusta revealed that he is partially driven by a dislike for the awful work environments in the replica industry. “No one loses any sleep over some Swiss million dollar companies getting hurt, but all the research I’ve done comes down to terrible conditions, use of hazardous materials and child labor,” he said.