How do I know if a brand collaboration offer is a scam?

Verify the sender’s domain, look up the brand’s reliability profile and online footprint, refuse any "pay for exposure" or upfront-fee request, and require a written contract with a deposit. Legitimate brands meet all of these.

Should I ever pay to join a brand’s creator programme?

No. Legitimate brands pay creators, not the other way around. An upfront fee to "join" is a reliable scam signal.

Vetting brands

Is this brand a scam? A creator’s 5-minute due-diligence guide

Fake gifting offers, "exposure" deals, and non-paying brands all leave signs. Here’s how to vet a brand outreach in five minutes.

The HonestCollabs team·30 April 2026·6 min read

The short answer

To check if a brand outreach is a scam, verify the sender’s domain, look up the brand’s reliability profile and footprint, refuse "pay for exposure" or upfront-fee asks, and insist on a written contract with a deposit. Legitimate brands pass all of these without friction.

Check the email and the brand’s footprint

Scam outreach often comes from free email domains impersonating a known brand, or a brand with no verifiable footprint at all. Two minutes of checking the domain and searching the brand name filters most of it.

Recognise the classic non-deals

"Pay for exposure" — you provide work for free for "reach". Not a deal.
Upfront fees to "join the creator programme". Real brands pay you.
Mass-personalised DMs with a too-good rate and urgency pressure.

Run the reliability check

Look the brand up on HonestCollabs. A brand with consistent, recent, positive reports is low-risk. A brand with non-payment reports — or a pattern of going quiet after delivery — is exactly what the registry exists to surface.

Frequently asked

How do I know if a brand collaboration offer is a scam?: Verify the sender’s domain, look up the brand’s reliability profile and online footprint, refuse any "pay for exposure" or upfront-fee request, and require a written contract with a deposit. Legitimate brands meet all of these.
Should I ever pay to join a brand’s creator programme?: No. Legitimate brands pay creators, not the other way around. An upfront fee to "join" is a reliable scam signal.

Is this brand a scam? A creator’s 5-minute due-diligence guide

Check the email and the brand’s footprint

Recognise the classic non-deals

Run the reliability check

Frequently asked

Keep reading

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