Bono's living breathing double Pavel Sfera (pictured above) has been so successful at it that he once duped the girlfriend of a Miami businessman who paid him $2,500 to have dinner with him and his girlfriend without ever telling her he wasn't the real Bono.

Check out how much Sfera looks like the real thing at http://www.bonodouble.com/index1.html

The incident is revealed by author Mark Joseph on his site Bullypulpit.com

He says he first met Pavel Sfera, "when he spoofed an encounter between Bono and my artist, Molly Jenson when her debut album was released last year.. Pavel was so good that we had people coming up to us while we were shooting on a Beverly Hills sidewalk thinking he was the real deal."

Sfera is now making an offer via Joseph to Bono and U2-- to front for Bono while he is injured and have the U2 tour resume.

So the world's foremost Bono-Double, is making an offer that the real Bono may just want to take him up on:

Since Bono is laid up he says he can make real money for the band.

Don't think Bono and the boys will be much amused.