CREATOR SAFETY / TIKTOK LIVE
Are TikTok LIVE Agencies a Scam?
Legitimate TikTok LIVE agencies do exist. If someone contacts you on an agency’s behalf, verify the invitation before you sign anything, share information, or pay. A fake profile can copy a real company’s name and offer a spot that exists only in the chat. Here’s how to check an offer, with examples from the United States, Spain, and Latin America.
How TikTok LIVE agencies and creator networks work
Creator Networks are independent businesses that work with LIVE creators. TikTok provides these networks with a management platform called LIVE Backstage. Depending on the program, an agency can help you practice livestreaming, review how you interact with your audience, or understand which opportunities are available in your region.
Ask for an example of what you’d receive in your first month. A clear offer tells you who will support you, when you’ll get feedback, and which conditions you need to meet. If someone mentions earnings, ask them to explain in writing how those earnings are calculated, who pays them, and what you need to do to receive them. Targets, gifts, and incentives vary by program, activity, and the terms that apply to you.
Warning signs and how to verify an invitation
Pause right away if someone makes any of these three requests.
| What they ask for | What to do |
|---|---|
| A payment to activate your spot, start streaming, or remove a restriction. | Stop the payment and check what transaction appears in your account and which terms you can verify in writing. |
| Your password, a login code, or access to your screen. | Keep control of your account. TikTok says it will never contact you to ask for passwords or verification codes. |
| A signature today or documents sent through a form you only know from the chat. | Ask for the organization’s name, the reason for the request, and a verification channel you can find independently. |
- Check who contacted you. Ask for their name, the name of the network, and the country the program covers. Look up the agency’s website yourself and ask whether that person works with them and whether they sent the offer.
- Check the invitation in TikTok. Open the app directly and check your account. If the invitation doesn’t appear or the details don’t match, contact support in the app before continuing.
- Take time to read the terms. Check who signs, what support you’ll receive, which targets or costs are mentioned, and how payments are handled. Keep a copy of the offer. If you still have questions, ask for an explanation in writing before you accept.
If someone asks for an invitation code. If your app shows Agency Center within LIVE Center, share only the invitation code TikTok provides for this purpose, and only with the agency you’ve already verified. The agency uses it to send you the invitation. Read it and decide whether to accept inside TikTok. Keep your password and any login codes you receive by text or email private.
United States — Check who sent the offer and who pays
Example. You get a message in English saying your channel was selected. The sender gives you a check to buy a microphone and asks you to send some of the money back through a payment app. The FTC documents this tactic in fake offers. Your bank may show the funds as available at first and later reject the check.
Confirm the invitation with the network using contact details you looked up yourself. If you’ve already deposited the check, contact your bank through its app or your usual channel and explain what happened before moving the money. If the verified offer requires tax paperwork, ask which organization handles it and which secure channel you should use to submit your information.
Spain — Check Bizum requests and requests for your national ID
Example. Someone claiming to represent an agency says they’ll return your onboarding deposit through Bizum. A request for money appears in your banking app. Read what transaction you’re about to authorize. Accepting this kind of request sends money from your account.
If they also ask you to send your DNI, Spain’s national identity document, through chat, first check who handles the agreement, why they need it, and how they protect the document. If you authorized a payment by mistake, contact your bank as soon as possible and save the transaction details and the message. INCIBE offers guidance on online fraud and impersonation.
Latin America — Confirm the country and the payment recipient
Example. Someone messages you on WhatsApp with an agency logo and asks you to transfer money to their personal account to reserve a spot in Colombia. They also send a screenshot saying your account has been approved. Check for an invitation from your own TikTok account and confirm with the agency whether the person and the offer are theirs.
Ask the sender to put which country the offer covers in writing and explain who supports creators there. If you’ve already transferred money, tell your bank or digital wallet provider and keep the receipt, recipient’s name, and transaction ID. Reporting options vary by country. In Colombia, for example, the National Police offers guidance on cyber incidents through CAI Virtual.
What to do if you shared information, paid, or lost access
- Protect your account. If you shared a password or code, change your password from a trusted device and enable two-step verification. In TikTok’s security settings, review which devices have access and remove any you don’t recognize. If you can no longer sign in, use TikTok’s recovery or support options.
- Report the profile or message. Save screenshots showing the username, date, and what the sender asked for. You can report a message from the TikTok chat. Press and hold the message, choose Report, and follow the prompts.
- Contact whoever processed the payment. Use your bank’s, card issuer’s, or wallet provider’s official channel and ask what options are available to stop or dispute the transaction. If you shared an identity document, also ask the relevant authority in your country how you can reduce the risk of identity theft.
How ON Digital can help with your livestreams
If you received an offer using our name, tell us which account contacted you and which country you want to stream from. We can check whether the contact came from our team and explain how our program for TikTok LIVE creators works.
ON Digital provides training and ongoing support to help you prepare your livestreams, practice different formats, and work on what you can improve. If you’re facing a restriction, we can help you understand the notice, gather the relevant information, and find the official appeal process. TikTok reviews the case and makes the decision.
Verify your invitation with ON Digital
For current requirements and features, check the app or the TikTok Help Center.