Brand collaboration offer that asks for a fee
A "brand" offers a paid collaboration but first needs a fee for onboarding, product shipping or a verified badge.
Community reports: 0
How it works
- An account or email using a brand's name praises your posts and offers a paid collaboration or free products to review.
- Before you start, they ask for a fee for onboarding, shipping the product, a "creator kit" or getting you a verified badge.
- After you pay, more fees follow or the "brand" disappears, and sometimes the link they sent also steals your account login.
What it looks like
Example messages. Numbers and links are masked.
Hi, we love your content and want you as our brand ambassador. Earn Rs 15,000 per post. Pay a one-time Rs 1,999 onboarding fee to receive your creator kit.
Congratulations, your profile is selected for the verified badge program. Complete the Rs 2,500 payment here: blue-badge-verify[.]co
Red flags
- A brand asking you to pay them
- Email from a free email ID, not the brand's
- Badge offered by a stranger, not the app
- Link asking for your social media login
- Pressure to sign up today
The one question to ask
Why would a brand that wants to pay you ask you to pay them first?
Already paid or shared details?
Call 1930 and file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in with the chats and payment details. If you logged in through any link they sent, change your password at once and turn on two-step verification.
1930 · cybercrime.gov.in
Also seen as
- Modelling or acting audition with a "portfolio fee"
- Paid "shoutout" deals that never pay
- Product review job that needs a deposit