How to spot fake streams and music fraud at intake
Pete Callaghan Founder of Groovian
Catch it at intake, not after Spotify flags it
Most of this gets decided before a track ever hits a DSP. If you wait for Spotify to flag fake streams, the money has already moved.
I’ve been in that intake queue long enough to recognise the people who will try to be your best friend. Professional bad actors are deceptive, impatient, and very good at sounding legitimate.
Behavioural tells I watch for
They want the review rushed
- They bombard you with questions.
- They’re overly eager and they want it done yesterday.
- They ask how long reviews take.
- They want releases expedited.
- They praise you for being a “reputable partner.”
They hop distributors and want a fresh ISRC
- They shuffle catalogues between distributors and call it consolidation.
- They “forget” to reuse ISRCs, or they want a “fresh start.”
- They sign up under one name, then ask to change it.
The artists are ghosts
- Some tracks already have millions of Spotify plays.
- The artists themselves are ghosts online.
- Catalogues look fine until you find the same titles under other names.
- Famous-looking artist names that aren’t those musicians, built to steal search traffic.
The consequences are still too light
- They’re happy to verify IDs because the consequences are still light.
- Some work in groups.
- Some just distribute copyrighted content unchanged.
I can lose hours in that rabbit hole. It taints genuine artists and labels along the way.
Worst of it: this costs the industry $2 billion a year.
The distributor shuffle is the one I see most. If you’re screening intake and any of this feels familiar, talk to us.