According to a new report, fans of Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter and Billie Eilish have lost around $5 billion in scams. The three pop icons are among the most impersonated artists of 2025.
Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter fans lose over $5 billion to impersonators
As per the Spikerz Unwrapped 2025 report, Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter are the most impersonated artists this year, with hackers and scammers using their names to dupe fans out of money. Additionally, with the rise of AI, scams have become more efficient, and their numbers are increasing rapidly.
In August this year, a major hacking incident saw the Instagram accounts of Adele, Future, Michael Jackson, and Tyla compromised (via Billboard). The hackers promoted a fake Solana meme coin on their accounts, falsely associating it with the rapper Future. This scam reportedly duped fans of at least $49,000.
Sony Music’s Paid Media & Promotion Manager, Rachel Rottman, said, “From a marketing perspective, I’ve seen how fake accounts impersonating artists have evolved, a challenge accelerated by AI. We need to ensure our artists stay protected online, so they can continue building an authentic and safe connection with their fans.”
Among celebrities, musicians are reportedly the most targeted due to their large fandoms online, as they are easy to interact with on social media. Spikerz notes that even “comment sections, DMs, and artist profiles are being turned into high-risk entry points for fraud and brand damage.”
The report claims that the top 10 most targeted artists include Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish, and Adele, among many others. It also demonstrates how these scams lead to destruction of trust, affecting campaigns and causing issues for the management.
