A lot of people dream of becoming content creators because it looks like an easy way to earn online. You post videos or other content, grow an audience, and brands supposedly start throwing money at you.
But what many people don’t realize is that the creator space is now filled with scams that specifically target beginners and even experienced creators.
Some of these scams look very convincing, too. And if you are not careful, you can end up wasting money, losing your account, or exposing personal information.
I’ve spent a lot of time researching online earning opportunities and have been a content creator for more than 10 years, and I can honestly say that content creator scams are becoming more aggressive every year. In fact, I almost fell for some of them myself because they looked completely legit at first glance.
So, in this article, I’ll go over some of the most common content creator scams you need to watch out for, how they usually work, and the warning signs that can help you avoid them.
Why are content creators good targets?
Content creators are now one of the biggest targets for online scams, and there’s actually a simple reason for that. Many creators are actively looking for opportunities to grow and earn.
So, if you think about it, when you are trying to build a YouTube channel, TikTok account, Instagram page, or streaming career, you are probably hoping to get sponsorships, brand deals, free products, more followers, or faster monetization. Scammers know this, and they take advantage of it.
That’s why many scams are designed to look like great opportunities instead of obvious scams. Some will pretend to be brands wanting to collaborate. Others will claim they can help you grow your audience quickly. Some even pose as talent agencies or creator managers.
What makes these scams dangerous is that they often look very professional. They can have polished websites, realistic emails, fake contracts, and even social media accounts that appear legit at first glance.
They usually prey on new creators, who are more vulnerable since they may not yet know how real sponsorships or partnerships work. But it also doesn’t stop there. Even experienced creators can get tricked if the scam is convincing enough.
And because many content creators communicate through email, DMs, and online platforms every day, it becomes easier for scammers to blend in with legitimate business inquiries. That’s why it’s important to stay careful before clicking links, downloading files, or accepting offers that sound too good to be true.
What to expect?
In this guide, we’ll talk about some of the most common scams targeting content creators today, including fake sponsorships, shady growth services, phishing attempts, and misleading “brand ambassador” offers.
I’ll also share some warning signs I personally noticed when dealing with suspicious offers, so you’ll have a better idea of what to look out for before responding to emails, DMs, or collaboration requests.
Ultimately, the goal here is not to scare you from becoming a content creator. In fact, it’s the opposite. This guide is designed to help you become a successful content creator by equipping you with the knowledge you need. And knowing how these scams work can help you avoid costly mistakes and protect your accounts, money, and personal information.
I have made a video explaining what these scams are. You can read the full details below the video.
Recommended: Check Out this Guide on How to Build a Real Online Business
8 content creator scams to avoid
Now that you know what to expect, it’s time we discuss the actual scams you should avoid. I’ll give a brief description and provide you with tips on how to easily spot and avoid them.
Scam #1 – Outreach Scam
Once you start creating content, companies and individuals will start reaching out and offering deals. As a content creator, this is your goal. However, you have to be careful about whom you do business with.
Many scammers will contact you and ask you to click links, open documents, or install something. They can look real sometimes, so you really have to be very critical.
For example, I have seen messages where the person attached a contract. The problem is that the document is locked. If you open it, it suddenly installs malware. What these malware usually do is take over your whole computer or your content creation platform (like YouTube, TikTok, etc.).
A good rule of thumb to follow to avoid scams like these is to always be critical of the messages you receive. If you suddenly receive a message from a company or brand that doesn’t fit your niche as a content creator, then you have to be suspicious of it.
Another example is that if a big brand or company is offering you something that sounds too good to be true, given that you are just a new content creator or one with a small audience, it probably is.
While I’m not saying big brands will never contact you, it will be highly unlikely if you are new to the field. Always ask yourself, “Would they really want to work with me?” You can often tell whether these companies or individuals are scammers by looking at the email address.
They will usually look like the real deal, but there will always be something different. You just have to check them carefully. Always remember that if it is a real brand or company, communication will always be done through official channels, like an official email address or maybe a phone call. Anything else will be quite suspicious, based on my experience.
And even from an official email address, be careful. I have experienced a partner I had worked with got hacked and sent emails to other creators and me with a fake offer that was likely full of malware.
So always be critical and rather check one time too many than not check at all.
Scam #2 – “You’re Special” Outreach Scam
The next scam I’ll discuss is another common modus operandi of scammers who target creators. This one is called “You’re Special”. This is often done by individuals who pose as high-ticket agencies. They reach out and sell you some kind of system.
In some cases, it can provide value to you as a content creator, but in many cases, you’ll just end up wasting money. The key thing to watch out for with this type of scam is that they will always make you feel special.
The common line they usually use will go something like “you’re among a select few we’ve chosen”. This line will usually stroke a person’s ego, causing them to drop their guard and avail themselves of what the scammer is offering.
So, always be critical and ask yourself why they are offering you something. That’s the biggest thing you can do to avoid this type of scam.
Scam #3 – Promoting Scam
Another type of scam you will likely encounter as a content creator is a promoting scam. The way it works is that someone will reach out and ask you to promote some kind of scam.
Of course, they’ll offer to pay you money. While this kind of scam won’t cost you anything (in fact, you can even earn money from it), it’s still something you should avoid since your reputation as a content creator will suffer a big hit because you will be promoting a scam.
It is not in your best interest to promote things like this, because your audience will no longer trust you. In the end, your business will take a hit, and it will be hard or next to impossible to recover from. So, always be critical of the deals you accept. If it is too good to be true, it probably is. That is the golden rule, based on my experience.
And in general, I have the golden rule only to promote or recommend brands I truly believe are worth recommending, and often say no to offers because I think integrity and always focusing on quality is the only right thing to do as a creator.
Scam #4 – So-called “Experts” are Pitching You
This type of scam has become quite common mainly because of the rise of AI. Many people now think that they are experts in a certain field because they use AI to do the work for them.
Then, you find out that they are quite incompetent in their field. Many people will reach out to you offering some sort of service like graphic design, video editing, and more, but they just use AI to do all the work.
When you become a content creator, you will most likely encounter these messages claiming they can help you out. While some of them can truly do that, most of them are just incompetent individuals trying to make a quick buck.
As a beginner creator, this can be hard to spot, so again, you have to be critical of these types of messages.
Hiring someone is a big part of scaling as a content creator, but you must also make sure the person you hire is truly a competent expert. So, do your due diligence when you try to hire someone.
Scam #5 – Scam Comments Targeting Your Audience
This one can be quite exhausting to deal with because they will pop up anywhere where there is a comment section. As a content creator, you also have to keep a close eye on the comments made on your posts on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, etc.
These comments will usually promote some kind of scam, spam, or even malware. As a content creator, it is your responsibility to try to protect your audience from such scams.
The good thing is that on most social media platforms, you have control over who can comment on your posts, so you can filter the comments that appear on your posts. Aside from that, you can always post reminders to your audience to avoid falling for these scam/spam comments.
Scam #6 – Fake Profiles
Many people are creating fake profiles across all social media platforms, pretending to be some famous person, content creator, or influencer. These people usually impersonate them to conduct scams. You might even become a target for these people. They’ll impersonate you and trick other people into doing certain things.
So, it is your responsibility as a content creator to remind your audience that you will never reach out to them, asking them to do certain things, especially when it involves money. Now, as an audience, if you notice something off with a certain profile, don’t hesitate to investigate.
And if you find out that it is a fake profile, you can always report it. It can help a lot since hundreds of fake profiles are being made every day, and being vigilant is a good way to combat them.
I personally have encountered fake profiles copying my website or social profiles, as explained in the video above. So, you must make a concerted effort to remind your audience about this kind of scam. You don’t have to do it every day, but make sure to do it from time to time, in my opinion.
Scam #7 – Content Theft
As a content creator, you will definitely encounter this issue as your platform grows. Someone will eventually steal your content and pretend it’s their own. On YouTube, it’s fairly easy to have it taken down because they have a great system that notifies you when it happens.
On other platforms, it’s not always that easy. What you can do is to always report it when you encounter it. You might not win all the time, but at least you’ve taken a step to fight it. That’s the important thing to remember.
It’s one of the problems that you will eventually encounter when you become a content creator, and it is especially true once your platform grows.
Scam #8 – “Featured” Scam
I have received several messages offering me or my platform a spot on a podcast, in a magazine, on a YouTube channel, etc. While it might sound like a good opportunity, you always have to be critical of the offer.
There are many “featured” scams running around where the individual won’t honor the promise once they get paid. Most of the time, these scams offer fake prestige. They even misrepresent themselves as part of a big media company.
It’s a common occurrence, especially for new content creators. So, if you receive a message or email like this, don’t immediately accept the offer. Do your research to find out if it is true. But if they are asking for money in return, then it is highly likely to be a scam, so you can almost always ignore those messages because legit media companies that want to feature you won’t ask for money.
Final Thoughts
That sums up the common scams you will encounter when you become a content creator. As explained, the biggest thing you can do to combat these scams is to always be critical of the emails and messages you receive.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. That’s the golden rule. And don’t hesitate to do some digging because it can save you money and probably even your reputation as a content creator.
I will update this guide if I encounter new scams that content creators face, so make sure to bookmark this page and check it from time to time for updates.
If you have any comments, questions, or know of content creator scams that you think belong in this guide, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.