Their appearance at Wimbledon, Henley and Harrods has sparked conspiracy rumours and wild speculation as to their true identity - but now it seems the masked "Faceless people" who have caused such a stir this summer are in fact... car salesmen.
It appears the publicity stunt is part of a viral marketing campaign by manufacturers The Lotus Group, to drum up interest in its forthcoming new car, the Eagle.
A quick Google search for "Faceless people" pulls up a website called "True Character", and a link to the address www.facelesspeople.com. According to internet directory WhoIs, that domain name is owned by Group Lotus Plc.
The facelesspeople.com web page features a discreet Lotus badge, and bears the legend: "True character will emerge in..." above ticker counting down to an unspecified event in just over 17 days time, on July 21.
It could be a hint that Lotus plans to unveil the highly anticipated Eagle at the British International Motor Show, which opens in London at July 23, with press previews the day before.
The "true character" referred to by the web site certainly ties in with the haunting images of the faceless people, who have been spotted in the crowd at numerous events this summer including Wimbledon, the Henley regatta, and Elton John's white tie and tiara ball.
The latex masks, which feature small perforations around the eyes, nose and mouth to allow their wearers to breath, have an eerie quality about them.
Blogs and internet forums have been awash with rumours about precisely who the faceless people are. Given the high-profile nature of the events they had attended, some people speculated that they were famous stars, sick of being under the constant glare of the paparazzi.
Others believed them to be a publicity stunt by the BBC, ahead of the Doctor Who series finale this weekend, which may reveal who will replace the current doctor, played by David Tennant, in the Tardis.
However, the weight of evidence points overwhelmingly towards a clever piece of marketing by Lotus, who remained tight-lipped about the stunt today. "We're staying schtum on this one," said a Lotus spokesperson.
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