Scam alert: wolves in festival lanyards.

Festivals have contacted us in recent weeks with an alarming trend: scammers impersonating them to extort money from potential speakers.

Here we explain what's been happening more widely and what you can do about it, whether you are a festival or someone who could be targeted.

Scammers targeting writers, artists, and creative professionals have become increasingly sophisticated, and one of the most troubling trends is the impersonation of editors, literary‑festival organisers, and arts‑festival staff. These scams exploit the trust and enthusiasm of people who are eager to share their work, appear at events, or advance their careers. By mimicking the language, branding, and authority of legitimate organisations, scammers create a convincing illusion - and then use it to pressure individuals into paying fraudulent fees.

A common tactic involves contacting writers or artists with an invitation to appear at a festival, contribute to an anthology, or take part in a prestigious programme. The message often arrives out of the blue, framed as an exciting opportunity. Scammers frequently lift real names, logos, and event details from genuine festivals to make their approach seem credible. They may reference past line‑ups, use official‑sounding email signatures, or even create fake websites that closely resemble the real thing. Once the target is sufficiently flattered or intrigued, the scammer introduces the hook: a request for payment.

These payments are usually framed as administrative fees, registration costs, or “refundable deposits” required to secure a place. In the literary world, scammers may claim the fee covers editing, publicity, or travel arrangements. For arts festivals, they might describe it as a participation charge or a processing fee for inclusion in the programme. The amounts vary - sometimes small enough to seem harmless, sometimes large enough to cause real financial harm - but the pattern is consistent: the scammer insists the payment must be made quickly, often through untraceable methods such as bank transfers, money‑sending apps, or cryptocurrency.

What makes these scams particularly insidious is that they prey on ambition and vulnerability. Emerging writers and artists, who may not yet be familiar with industry norms, are especially at risk. Genuine festivals and editors rarely, if ever, ask contributors to pay to appear. Reputable literary and arts organisations typically cover costs or operate on transparent submission models. When someone is new to the field, however, it can be difficult to distinguish a legitimate opportunity from a predatory one - especially when the scammer has done their homework.

The emotional impact can be as damaging as the financial loss. Victims often feel embarrassed, exploited, or discouraged from pursuing future opportunities. For festivals and editors whose identities are stolen, the reputational damage can be significant. They may find themselves fielding confused emails, issuing warnings, or repairing trust with their communities.

How can you guard against this?

The best defence is awareness. Creatives should be wary of unsolicited invitations, especially those that seem too good to be true or demand urgency. To make sure, check official websites, contact organisations directly to make sure it is from them (they will understand), and seek advice from peers to help verify legitimacy.

Festivals and editors can also play a role by clearly stating their policies on fees on official channels, by publicly warning their communities when impersonation attempts arise and encouraging contact to verify approaches.

As the creative sector becomes more digitally connected, these scams are likely to continue evolving. Staying informed, cautious, and connected to trusted networks is essential to protecting both individuals and the integrity of the arts community.