🎿 Top 10 signs of streaming fraud you shouldn’t ignore

1. 🔁 Unnatural repetition patterns : Similar songs streamed from the same account or device hundreds or thousands of times, frequently without variation or interruption.

2. 📍 Streams from unrelated geographic regions : A sudden surge in streams from countries or regions where the artist has no known audience or marketing activities.

3. ⏱️ Very short listening durations : Consistently brief playtimes that do not align with typical user behavior, such as skipping songs after only a few seconds.

4. 🆕 Rapid follower growth without engagement : Artificial activity is indicated by an abrupt increase in followers that does not correspond with an increase in likes, comments, or saves.

5. 👤 High number of streams from new or empty accounts : Often, fraud is perpetrated using fake or bot accounts that have minimal profile data, no playlists, and no activity beyond repeat streaming.

6. 📊 Inconsistent analytics across platforms : When Spotify indicates a substantial number of streams, but Apple Music, YouTube, or social media metrics do not align.

7. 💰 Unusual royalties or revenue spikes : A sudden, unforeseen increase in streaming revenue, particularly if it is not associated with promotional or chart activities.

8. 🤖 Use of third-party services offering “guaranteed streams” : The platform guidelines are violated by numerous of these services, which engage in unethical or fraudulent practices.

9. 📊 Charts and rankings manipulation : A tactic of artificial boosting may be indicated by tracks that briefly appear in trending or viral charts before disappearing.

10. ⚠️ Platform warnings or takedown notices : Frequently, suspicious activity is indicated by account flags, warnings, or removed content from digital service providers (DSPs).