Music Scam Alert

What You Need to Know

At first glance, a contest offering a cash prize, exposure, and the chance to connect with major industry names seems like a dream opportunity. But in reality, many of these “contests” are elaborate scams designed to manipulate hopeful entrants into spending money or providing personal data with little to no reward.

🧠 Whether it’s an invitation to perform at a prestigious event, win a large sum of money, or get featured in a major publication, contest scams can be incredibly deceptive, preying on the hopes and ambitions of artists and creators.

The “Free Entry” Hook:

Most contest scams lure participants with the promise of no entry fee. This is an important hook because it makes the contest appear legitimate and accessible, reducing skepticism. After all, if there’s no cost to enter, what’s the harm in participating?

However, the real trap is set later in the process, as scammers know they need a way to make money.

Vote-for-Success Model:

A common feature of these scams is the use of a voting system to advance in the contest. Participants are told they need to collect votes from friends, family, and their fan base to proceed to the next round.

The flaw with this model is obvious: most indie artists and creators can only get a handful of people to vote for them, especially when the process is cumbersome or involves creating accounts. Scammers know this, which is why they offer an alternative: buy votes.

Piggybacking on Legitimate Brands:

To further the appearance of credibility, these scams often piggyback on the names of legitimate charities, artists, or companies.

They may claim the contest benefits well-known nonprofits or that industry giants like Rolling Stone or Busta Rhymes are involved. In reality, the legitimate entities are often completely unaware their name is being used, or their involvement is exaggerated or fabricated.

Nonexistent or Hollow Prizes:

Contest scams typically promise grand prizes like $10,000, exposure in a major magazine, or performances at big events. In some cases, these prizes don’t exist at all; the contest organizers have no intention of fulfilling their promises.

📌 In other instances, the prize may technically exist but will be awarded to a pre-selected winner or someone who has spent an excessive amount of money on votes.

Even when there is a “winner,” it’s often just a ploy to make the scam seem real and encourage others to participate in future contests. The scam may repeat itself with different contests across industries like baking, fitness, or fashion, using the same pay-for-votes structure.

No Entry Fee but Pay-to-Play Later:

🚩 If the contest starts free but introduces payments to advance, especially via vote purchases, it’s likely a scam.

Charity Tie-ins Without Clear Donations:

🚩 If a contest claims to benefit a charity, but you can’t verify the charity’s involvement (or if the charity is unaware of the contest), consider it a red flag.

Big Promises with Little Information:

🚩 Watch out for contests that promise high rewards but provide little transparency about how winners are chosen or how the contest operates behind the scenes.

Involvement of Big Names Without Proof:

🚩 Be cautious if a contest name-drops celebrities, big brands, or major media outlets without any evidence of official partnerships. Research and verify those connections.

Vote-for-Success Structure:

🚩 If a contest requires you to rely on votes, especially paid votes, to progress, it’s likely not a fair competition but a revenue-generating scam for the organizers.