Who and what to trust..The business of unveiling scams!

Scams! What can I say? They are out there and everywhere. There are tons of vultures trying to prey on poor, innocent independent artists. They know these artists will do anything to make their dreams come true. It's disgusting really. I have been a victim to a scam or two, and even though I am extremely wary now, I want to believe that every opportunity that is presented to me is real. I can't help it...I'm an optimist. It is good to be positive and optimistic, however it is also important to be realistic. Most people in the music industry are looking out for one person, and that is themselves. How do you determine whether an opportunity is a scam or not? Research is the key to discovery. Research everything you can about the person, company or event. You will usually find other people commenting on their experiences or better yet, if you can't find anything at all, stay away. Another good hint of scoping out a scam, is if the person or company is asking you to pay up front. When someone asks you for money while promising you something in return, that is usually a bad sign. This morning I woke to an email from an individual in the music industry. This person is claiming to be putting on a tour this fall for 15 undiscovered talent acts. This tour is set to take place in 10 different cities, all expenses paid, and even a projected earning per show. Sounds too good to be true doesn't it? Well, it just might be. To submit you have to pay $7.77 and that's it. Hmmmmmm....Is this legit? Is there really going to be a tour? Yes, $7.77 is cheap but I hate to be taken advantage of. If I submit, and it does turn out to be a scam, I won't lose much, though I would hate for the guys behind the scam to gain from it. However, if the tour turns out to be the real deal, it could be a fantastic opportunity. Is it a risk you take? Only you can answer that. Make sure you go with your gut. If something doesn't feel right, then it probably isn't!