We have received reports of an employment scam that is currently targeting individuals by fraudulently claiming to be Musiio.Â
Understandably, employment in the music industry is highly sought after, so potential targets may feel compelled to click before they check. Scammers prey on your emotions and they hope that excitement at a fantastic opportunity with Musiio will get you to act without thinking.
Musiio by SoundCloud takes this matter very seriously and we want to ensure that our community is informed and protected.Â
This blog post aims to provide you with detailed information about the scam, how to identify it, and steps to take if you have been contacted by these fraudsters.
Scam type: Fraudulent recruitment outreach
The scammers are impersonating Musiio, and pretending to be recruiters working on the company’s behalf, and reaching out to potential candidates through WhatsApp. They offer fake employment opportunities and may request personal information or payments for processing fees, training, or anything else.
Key characteristics of the scam include:
- An unsolicited Musiio job offer via WhatsApp
- Payment in cryptocurrency
- Demands for payment after you have begun work
- Communication from unofficial email addresses (e.g. @musiiomusicpcp.com)Â
- Interactions with individuals with job titles such as ‘Trainer’ and ‘Data Steward’
- Mention of a platform called ‘Musiio Workbench’
How to identify the scam
To protect yourself, be vigilant and look for the following red flags:
- Email Domain: Official communications from Musiio will come from an email address ending with @musiio.com or @soundcloud.com. We do not reach out via WhatsApp
- Payment Requests: We will never ask for money during the recruitment process, nor if you are an employee. In some instances, the scam asks its targets to deposit money into Coinbase accounts - a cryptocurrency platform where payments are irreversible
- Employment agency name-dropping: Mention of the ‘CareerBuilder’ job agency to legitimise outreach. Musiio by SoundCloud doesn’t recruit via agencies
- Incorrect Branding: Use of the term ‘Musiio Company’, and amateurish-looking logos, NOT Musiio by SoundCloud
- Poor & Confusing Communication: Be cautious of emails or messages with spelling errors, generic greetings, unprofessional language or anything quoting confusing contractual clauses
- Too Good to Be True Offers: Unrealistic salary promises or immediate job offers without interviews are signs of a scam
What does the scam look like?
Here’s an example of the fraudulent registration page that scammers are currently using.
What to do if you are contacted
If you believe you have been contacted by a scammer:
- Do not respond: Avoid engaging with the fraudsters
- Do not provide information: Do not share personal or financial details
- Report the incident: Read more on SoundCloud’s Help Centre and report suspected fraud attempts using the chatbot
- Contact authorities: Consider reporting the scam to your local law enforcement agency
Official Musiio by SoundCloud communication channels
For authentic information regarding career opportunities at Musiio by SoundCloud:
- Website: Visit our official careers page at careers.soundcloud.com
- Email: All official correspondence will come from @musiio.com or @soundcloud.com email addresses
Steps we are taking
Musiio by SoundCloud is actively working to combat this issue by:
- Monitoring and reporting fraudulent activities
- Issuing take-down requests to ISPs, phone carriers and careers portals that we know the scammers are using
- Raising awareness through official channels and advisories
Stay safe
Your safety is our priority. We urge everyone to stay alert and cautious of unsolicited job offers claiming to be from Musiio. Together, we can stop these fraudsters and protect our community.
