Fake ‘Paul McCartney’ slides into woman's DMs. She used iconic 'Beatles' lyrics to turn the tables on him.

The Beatles composed many incredible songs, always teasing their fans with ahead-of-their-time lyrics. As per scholarly research published by Georgia State University, the legendary British rock band’s songwriting evolved into a more wittily rhetorical approach over time, thanks to two of its primary vocalists, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. But in the age of social media, even legends aren’t spared from attempts to hijack their legacy. A similar situation unfolded recently when a skilled wordsmith locked horns with an impersonator of the renowned bassist, singer, and songwriter—with an unexpected twist. What began as a casual fan interaction took a humorous lyrical turn when writer Becky Holmes (@deathtospinach on X) started exposing a fake McCartney.

The Beatles left behind an iconic catalog of songs, often captivating fans with their forward-thinking lyrics. According to research from Georgia State University, the legendary band’s songwriting grew increasingly witty and rhetorical over time, largely due to the influence of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. But even in the digital age, musical legends aren’t safe from online impersonators. A recent case proved just that when writer Becky Holmes (@deathtospinach on X) cleverly turned the tables on a scammer posing as McCartney. What began as a standard fan interaction quickly became a lyrical showdown—one that the impersonator was hilariously unprepared for.

A widely circulating post showed that the Warwickshire-based author didn’t fall for one of the biggest scams of the 21st century—fake social media profiles. When someone posing as the lead Beatles lyricist slid into her DMs, she responded in the funniest ways. More importantly, Holmes managed to turn the sketchy inquiries into a lyrical takedown, elevating the private conversation to another level. It all began when a fake “Sir Paul McCartney” approached the influential writer, implying that the 82-year-old artist was trying to connect with his admirers via a fan account.

Posing as McCartney, the scammer told Holmes: “How are you doing, my dear friend, and where exactly are you from?” The writer responded, “I'm so excited to talk to you, Paul. I am doing very well. I am from the UK—I live on Penny Lane.” Following this, the person impersonating the English singer made their first move by suggesting, “I'm using this private account to enable my fans to get access to me and also get their opinions on how they feel about my musical career.”

This prompted Holmes to come up with a more savage reply, indirectly testing the scammer’s lyrical knowledge. “Well, I think you're incredible, Sir Paul. I hope you will be doing more,” the writer said, while she simultaneously dropped her first cue to catch the impersonator red-handed. “Don't Let Me Down,” Holmes added. Instead of recognizing the famous Beatles song, they started writing gibberish by asking the woman if she was married and had kids. “No, I'm not. I'm still single. It's been a ‘Long and Winding Road’ with various boyfriends along the way, but I'm on my own now,” she again pulled the strings. Reaffirming her relationship status, they started to dig deeper, saying, “Being single can be a great opportunity for self-discovery and growth. What's next on your journey?”

“‘With A Little Help From My Friends,’ I'm just going to see where life takes me, and hopefully, I'll be happy and successful,” was the writer’s response, again invoking McCartney’s popular number. When the scammer shifted the conversation by asking if she was busy, Holmes pleaded guilty, “I do get busy sometimes as I work a lot— I'm a Paperback Writer.” “Wow! You are such a hard-working woman,” the scammer immediately jumped back in, adding, “Do you stay alone?” To which Holmes confessed, “Yes, I am alone. I get really lonely sometimes. I Want To Hold Your Hand, Paul.”

When the scammer asked, "How old are you?" Holmes delivered the coup de grâce in her reply: "You ask a lot of questions, Paul. Just Let It Be."

“It’s a sad day when @PaulMcCartney doesn’t recognize any of his own songs,” she concluded, inviting reactions from the online community. “Your sense of humor always makes me smile. I’m surprised he didn’t recognize the songs. He only wrote them Yesterday,” @MLivingsNum1Fan commented. “I mean, he is in his 80s and has written an awful lot of songs. He's just forgotten,” @AmberNectar_83 joked.