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If you’ve ever received a DM from an individual promising something that felt too good to be true, this episode on scam artists is for you.

When I was beginning my career, my grandfather offered me advice that I carry to this day. “Wherever there are dreamers,” he told me, “there will be people looking to make a quick buck by exploiting that dream.” He knew scam artists were everywhere, but I’m not sure even my grandfather understood how prevalent such tricksters would be in 2022.

Every artist with an online presence has encountered a scammer. Maybe they posed as a fan to get friendly before trying to sell them special services, or perhaps they’re pretending to be a major record label exec. Either way, scammers are everywhere, and they target the hungriest artists because they know desperate people rarely think things through.

Ever since our first article on scam artists, musicians worldwide have contacted us regarding direct messages, emails, phone calls, and even business cards they’ve received from people they felt were trying to scam them. More often than not, those concerns were later validated when we uncovered the truth behind the false goods these individuals were promising.

We are still receiving messages from concerned artists. One musician, Jamal, even sent us screenshots and an in-depth description of their interactions with a scammer. We asked for permission to share their experiences with you, and thankfully, they agreed.

Music Biz host James Shotwell shares a step-by-step guide to understanding how scammers operate on social media in the video below. He shares Jamal’s experiences, including screenshots of his conversations, and even places a call to Warner Music Group.