Unfortunately we live in a time where fraudsters are busy tricking people. Whether you’re doing public relations yourself or you want to hire a professional, there are some common PR scams to watch out for. From Podcast scams, fake awards, fake media, fake PR agencies, we’ve complied a list of common scams to avoid.

Con: You get contacted by a “producer” from a high-profile podcast who wants to do a “tech check” or “pre-interview.” Then during the “pre-interview” they ask you to share your screen and add them to Facebook/Instagram.

Danger: They can hi-jack your account and lock you out.

Con: You’re invited to be a guest on a show, but there’s a “production fee” or “editing fee.”

Danger: Usually the show doesn’t exist, has no real audience, or your episode never gets published, but they got your money and account information.

Con: A podcast booking agency offers to get you interviews for a large upfront fee.

Danger: They disappear after payment, and provide no service.

Con: You’ve been contacted that you’ve won an award to something you’ve never applied for, and then you must pay something to receive it.

Danger: These are fake “awards” with no industry value - aka “pay-to-play.”

Con: You receive an offer for a high-profile interview or to feature the founder or CEO, for a “placement fee.”

Danger: If it gets published, its appears on a fake or low-quality platform, or not at all. It breaks my heart when I see people say they got published, and share the link only to see it’s on one of these scam outlets.

I often get these sent to me or see in my feed

Con: You see an ad or get an email from a PR Agency saying they can get you “guaranteed coverage.”

Danger: There is no such thing as guaranteed coverage, real editorial decisions are in the hands of editors or publications, not PR agents. Best case this is pay-to-play advertising, worst case scammers take your money and run.

So many of these scams play on desire for recognition and the love of quick, easy results. Earned media is never easy, and it’s never paid for, it’s earned. Don’t fall for shortcuts, and you’ll steer clear of these deceptive PR practices, hoaxes and frauds.

Major media placement and prestigious awards very rarely come unsolicited and never with a fee. If you think it’s too good to be true, then it usually is.

Next Time: This week we touched on fake awards, next week lets talk about how to get a real award, and how it can be a good PR move.

Get PR techniques from recent news.

Deep Fakes created by A.I. are a concern, and rightly so. They are getting so good you can hardly tell if it’s real or fake. Take the quiz and see how you do. I got a 6 out of 10. Hopefully you do better than me!

In the world of PR this can be dangerous. Perhaps someone makes a deepfake of your CEO saying racial slurs, or a video of a customer being treated badly. These can damage your company’s reputation in a hurry.

Deep Fakes can also be used in scams. You might get hyper-realistic emails, videos, or voice messages from supposed journalists or PR pros. These scams are harder to spot and often involve phishing for sensitive information or payment. Be cautious, do your research, and ask questions.

💫 Pro Tip: If a deepfake or AI-generated scam surfaces, respond quickly with clear and factual communications to counter misinformation. Put official communications on your company’s website and verified social media channels.

Useful PR Resources.

This is a free tool where you can get booked as a guest on podcasts or find guests for your show. This is a great free resource to use, especially when you’re just getting started in podcasting, and I still use it all the time.

You’ll get two emails weekly. They have a list of featured guests (this is a paid option) and also a list of podcasts looking for guests.

Also, you can read more about common podcast frauds with an in-depth article by the site’s founder Brian Scully, and its where I got some inspiration for this week’s topic.

Do you have any tips to spot scammers? Let us know in the comments below.

Until next week, keep your shades on and stay cool.

Your fellow Seeker,
Keren

🕶️