About

Music Scam Alert

Who is Music Scam Alert?

We are a dedicated small group of independent artists who have grown increasingly frustrated with the countless promotional scams and predatory schemes running rampant in the music industry.

In an effort to combat the relentless proliferation of scams that specifically target independent musicians, our site developer decided to start going after some of them. As it turns out, she was very skilled at finding them, and taking them down.

The MSA team came together officially in October of 2024, at which time our website was unveiled offering a few published articles, which we had completed ahead of the launch.

While this is not an easy job, it turned out that we were the only ones up for it, and, someone had to do it. Luckily, each of us brings unique skills and expertise from various fields outside of music that make us a natural fit for this kind of work.

We are united by a shared commitment to protecting our peers and promoting integrity within the industry.

Notably, we are all volunteers here at MSA, operating on our own time, and funding this effort out of our own pocket.

Even though this work can be stressful, thankless, and often dangerous, we are committed to keeping Music Scam Alert free of any cost to the user.

We promise never to put this information behind a pay-wall, nor will we clutter up the site with a bunch of pesky banner ads. We are here to give something back to the community that has given so much to us. We are artists, standing up for artists by taking a stand against scams.

We all signed up for this knowing that it would demand a lot of us: long hours spent researching and writing, a continuous barrage of angry scammers littering our inboxes with threatening emails, and a constantly growing pile of open reports always stacked up on our desk. We are still honored to provide this service to our fellow artists, completely free of charge.

🐰 Our commitment stems from a genuine desire to create a safer environment for musicians. Somebody has to do something; why shouldn’t it be us?

Because exposing scammers carries significant risks, most of us have chosen to adopt pen names to shield our true identities from potential retaliation.

Nevertheless, our site developer and MSA Founder, E. Wheeler (aka: Erinem), has made the possibly ill-advised decision to use her real identity here, prioritizing user trust and full transparency as core principles of our initiative.

By being open and honest, we aim to foster a community where musicians can feel safe and supported in their creative pursuits.

More Than Just Scam Busting

While holding scammers accountable and protecting artists from exploitation is our primary mission, Music Scam Alert serves a broader purpose.

🐰 We also provide a comprehensive library of original articles exploring complex aspects of the music business, shedding light on industry practices that often go unnoticed. We call this section of our site The Learning Annex.

In addition to exposing active scams, we offer in-depth coverage of various “scam types” — common grifts that artists should be aware of before they become the subject of a scam report. While our homepage is constantly updated with the latest specific scams in the industry and highlighting the companies responsible, the Learning Annex covers the actual scamology (if you will) and gives you insights into what these grifts look like — that way you’ll be too savvy to ever fall for them.

For those looking to educate themselves proactively, our Learning Annex is an essential resource. This section features detailed breakdowns of known scam tactics — even when no specific company is currently running them — as well as educational articles on topics like how Meta Ads work, how Spotify playlists function, and more. Because knowledge is the best scam repellent, we encourage artists to explore this section to stay informed.

You will also occasionally find links to Learning Annex articles within the body of our scam reports, which appear as drop down boxes with our MSA mascot 🐰 featured next to it, called Rabbit Holes. These links always open in a new tab so you never lose your place in the current article you’re reading. Be sure to travel down one the next time it appears within an article on our site. All Rabbit Hole articles can also be found in the Learning Annex.

All Learning Annex articles are authored by our site developer, Erinem, an industry professional who works and mentors in this space daily. Get insights from someone with hands-on experience and arm yourself with the knowledge needed to navigate the music industry safely.

🐰 MSA here, and we just want to let you know – we’ve got your back, and you can do this. Stay safe out there.

Our Commitment to Ethical Reporting

At Music Scam Alert, we adhere to the highest standards of journalistic integrity, following the ethical guidelines set by the Associated Press (AP) and widely recognized best practices in investigative reporting.

Our mission is to uncover deceptive practices in the music industry with accuracy, fairness, and transparency. We rely on verifiable evidence to support every claim we publish.

Our investigative process includes gathering primary sources, consulting with industry professionals, and cross-referencing multiple data points before drawing conclusions.

When discussing potential scams, we prioritize direct statements from affected artists, documented business practices, and tangible proof — such as domain registrations, payment records, or official statements from involved parties. Speculation is never presented as fact, and if we cannot substantiate a claim, we do not publish it.

✍🏻 While our reporting is fact-driven, there are times when we offer opinions or industry insights based on our experience and analysis. In these cases, we always make it clear that the statement reflects an opinion rather than an objective fact.

However, we strive to keep opinions to a minimum, allowing our research and evidence to speak for itself.

We believe that holding ourselves to these ethical standards not only strengthens the credibility of our work but also provides a valuable service to artists and industry professionals seeking truth in an industry rife with misinformation.

Our goal is not just to expose scams, but to empower artists with the knowledge they need to navigate the business safely and successfully.