$5.3 billion lost to impersonation scams each year, with Taylor Swift identified as most targeted artist, according to Spikerz Unwrapped report

Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, and Billie Eilish are the three most impersonated artists of 2025, reveals a new report from social media security company Spikerz. The data shows that 72% of Americans encountered fake celebrity endorsements, and 1 in 10 became victims of impersonation scams.

Spikerz has released Spikerz Unwrapped 2025, a comprehensive report revealing how social media-driven cyber threats have become one of the most disruptive forces in today’s music industry. With streaming growth accelerating and social platforms now the frontline of artist-fan connection, the risks tied to impersonation, scams, misinformation, and account takeovers have reached an unprecedented scale.

Spikerz Unwrapped 2025 highlights five major threat areas: impersonation, phishing, account takeovers, spam, and hate-driven misinformation, supported by data from law enforcement, cybersecurity firms, and real cases involving high-profile artists.

From AI-generated fake announcements to coordinated bot harassment and deepfake DMs, the report, featured in Billboard, demonstrates how rapidly the threat landscape is evolving and how unprepared many teams still are.

“Social platforms have become the most important connection point between artists and their audiences, and therefore, the most vulnerable,” says Scott Cohen, Co-Founder of The Orchard and former Chief Innovation Officer at Warner Music Group. “If we want artists to innovate and experiment, we have to give them digital environments where they’re not constantly under attack.”

For musicians, the implications are both operational and financial. Scams destroy trust, derail campaigns, and force teams into crisis mode.

The research reveals that Taylor Swift is the most impersonated artist in the world this year, with scammers systematically leveraging her massive fan base through fake concert tickets, VIP experiences, and highly convincing clone accounts. When examining impersonation trends across social platforms, Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, and Billie Eilish emerged as the most targeted identities.

“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,” says Rachel Rottman, Paid Media & Promotion Manager at Sony Music.

Artists including Justin Bieber, Adele and Tyla were among the biggest hacked artists in 2025, after breaches of their Instagram, X, and Facebook accounts, according to Spikerz research. With modern hacks accelerated by AI, even the world’s most iconic stars remain vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated attacks. The report demonstrates how attackers exploit the same channels that managers rely on for launch campaigns, tour rollouts, and daily fan engagement. Comment sections, DMs, and artist profiles are being turned into high-risk entry points for fraud and brand damage.

Naveh Ben Dror, CEO of Spikerz, predicts that “the artists who win the next decade won’t just be the ones with the best music or the most viral campaigns. They’ll be the ones whose teams can make sure fans can trust every link, every handle, and every announcement with the artist’s name on it.”

Click here to download the full report, and to learn more about how to protect your brand against social media threats, book a free demo with the Spikerz team.