SShoot
← Back to safety guide

Safety topic

Advance-fee fraud

Anyone asking you to pay to apply or to release a payment is running a scam.

The most common scam in casting calls in Nigeria. The fraudster offers a paid gig, then asks for a small fee — to 'process' the booking, 'register' you, 'verify' your portfolio, or 'release' an advance payment that mysteriously needs you to send money first. Real clients on Shoot never ask for upfront money from creators.

What to look for

  • Asking for any payment before a booking is confirmed
  • "Pay a small fee to receive your advance" — it is always a scam
  • Pressure to send money via Western Union, Cash App, USDT, or crypto
  • A bank slip or screenshot 'proving' a payment that never lands in your account
  • Sudden urgency: 'send the fee within an hour or you lose the spot'

What to do

  1. Stop. Do not send money.
  2. Screenshot the request and the message thread.
  3. Tap Report on the brief or message.
  4. Block the user from your settings.
  5. If you already sent money, file a report at your bank within 24 hours.

Need to report something?

Tap Report on any profile, brief, casting, message, or image. Our trust team reviews every report.