Move Over NFTs, There's a New Scam in Town

Three years ago I told you about NFT scams (part 1, part 2) that artists receive. Those are still going on, but there's a new scam in town -

Podcast Invites to gain control of your social media platforms.

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​If you’ve recently received a very flattering, flowery email inviting you to be featured on a podcast or Instagram Live - especially one associated with a recognizable account - you are not being discovered. You are being targeted.

Let me break this down so you know exactly what’s going on.
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Here's an example email.
(Though it should go without saying, I want to make clear that the podcasters mentioned here are not really involved. They're being used as part of the scam.)

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The Hook

So, we have this flattering email from an unofficial/generic gmail account (non-domain account, like myname @ legacyartmgt.com) inviting the artist to do a relaxed Instagram Live interview. To seem more legit, the person uses a few links from the podcaster's own IG account.

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The Scam

There are a few different ways the scam works:

1. Quick Money - If you engage (don't!), they'll say they can get you on the books for X date. To secure that spot, you'll just need to pay a small fee to assure you'll be there. 
2. Phishing - The bigger fish most scammers want is your private information: credit card info, login credentials, etc. They may send you a link to log into their calendar or guest book or even send an invite to connect your Instagram or TikTok account to theirs. (Theirs will not be the legit account anymore.) Once they gain the connectivity, they can take control of your account and all your hard work will go down the drain.
3. Digital Assets - They may ask for a few high res images to help in promoting you leading up to the interview. They get their hands on your high res images, and then they can reproduce them for their own products or EVEN WORSE try to pose as you and scam collectors using your name - which will be an even bigger legal headache for you.

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Red Flags

If you get one of these emails, here’s your quick checklist:

• The email comes from a Gmail (or other generic) address
• The sender is vague about their role or credentials
• The praise feels generic enough it could apply to anyone
• There’s no official booking process or assistant involved
• You’re asked to move communication off-platform
• Money you pay is mentioned at any point
• You’re sent login or verification links

Any one of these is worth questioning. A few together? That’s a hard no.

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It's the same bad actors flipping the script.

Scammers know that one of the biggest aspects to artists' success is the need for visibility, and social media is the main tool artists get that visibility. They also are seeing that artists have caught on to the NFT scam. 

But! Don't think they're all a scam.

If you're gaining traction in your social media presence with lots of followers and engagement, you will gain attention from credible accounts. Partnership opportunities can come about if your presence is dynamic and your storytelling appeals to the products they sell. 

If someone genuinely wants to feature you:

• They will contact you through a professional, verifiable channel
• They will not ask you for money
• They will not ask for your login information
• And you will be able to confirm their identity independently

When in doubt, take five minutes to look them up outside of the email. Search for their official website and check what their interview process is. If you're not confident they're legit, they probably aren't. Do not reply to them and just delete the email.

(Note for Artcloud users: Artcloud's support team has a system in place to block scammers' fake email addresses from the entire platform. Help your fellow artists by forwarding these scam emails to their support email.)

​If you’ve received one of these, you’re not alone—and you’re not being singled out for your brilliance (as nice as that would be). You’re on a list.

Feel free to share this with other artists. The more people who recognize this pattern, the less effective it becomes.

Stay sharp out there and keep on creating!

A PS after posting this:

I reached out to both podcasters to let them know, and heard back from one almost immediately that they're seeing a lot of this. He shared THIS link which goes into their perspective and a bit more insight from their end.