I'm not sure that's as big a problem in academia as in other circles. I would imagine that academic researchers (professors) are highly discerning among their friends based to a large extent on competence.

It's like how recruiting for engineers is best done through the networks of your engineers; they really only hang out with top people anyway (give or take).

These people are still human, they can and will be swayed by something really well presented. If they weren't it wouldn't be a problem now.