‘Be Careful’: UK Entertainment Agents Association Issues Scam Checklist For Promoters

Following recent email scams, where fraudsters posed as agents, claiming to represent artists including Adele, Justin Timberlake, Dire Straits, Beyoncé, System Of A Down and Eminem, the Entertainment Agents Association has issued a checklist for concert promoters to help ensure that they are dealing with the genuine agent for an artist when booking a show.

McKay / Music Midtown Festival / GettyImages.com – Eminem
One of many acts that have been co-opted by fake agents in recent times

Association President Neil Tomlinson said, “We’re seeing a worrying increase in this style of email scam. Before agreeing to any show and sending deposits, promoters must be 100 percent sure that they are dealing with the real booking agent for that artist.”

The association therefore urges promoters to adopt the following steps, in cases where they aren’t sure of an agent’s identity:

1.) Check the email address is correct, in particular the email domain, and if in any doubt call the agency to confirm it (do not use the telephone number on the email).

2.) Check the artist’s website for any conflicting touring plans

3.) Make sure you have full contact details of the agent you are working with and speak to them on the phone at least once.

4.) Before sending a deposit, call the agency to confirm the booking and check their account details.

5.) Check with promoters in other markets to verify the artist is touring in that region at that time.

6.) If an offer is accepted and seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Members of the Entertainment Agents Association include 13 Artists, Asgard, ATC Live, CAA, Coda, ITB, Primary Talent International, UTA, WME & X-ray Touring.

CAA’s Emma Banks said: “Please be very careful if you get emails that don’t quite look right. Follow the common sense steps that the Agents Association have suggested and don’t send any money until you have double checked that the ‘agent’ is indeed who they say they are.  Please get on the phone to the agents you are doing business with – everything on email makes these scams so much easier for people to instigate.”