Collaboration Emails – Genuine Opportunity or Clever Scam?

Have you ever received an email that seemed almost too good to be true? If you're a YouTuber, you may have had collaboration offers land in your inbox, but not every one is genuine. In this blog, I share some simple checks that I use before replying to any collaboration email. They only take a few minutes, but they could save you from a hacked account, a nasty scam, or a lot of unnecessary grief. And even if you're not a YouTuber, don't scroll past, because the advice in this article applies to anyone who receives unexpected emails. These days, we're all potential targets, so I think you'll find these tips well worth a read.

As my YouTube channel has grown, I've started receiving more collaboration emails from companies wanting me to review products or work with them. Some are perfectly genuine, while others are nothing more than cleverly disguised scams.

Unfortunately, it's becoming increasingly difficult to tell the difference. Scammers know that creators are always looking for opportunities, so they often make their emails look professional and appealing.

Before getting too excited by an offer, I always take a few minutes to do some checks. It might seem over-cautious, but spending five minutes verifying an email is a lot better than spending weeks trying to recover from a hacked account or stolen information.

Check the sender's email address

The first thing I look at is the sender's actual email address, not just the display name.

A genuine company will usually contact you from their own domain, such as:

marketing@companyname.com

or

partnerships@companyname.com

Be cautious if the email comes from a free account like Gmail, Outlook or Yahoo, especially if it's claiming to represent a large company.

Is the email personal or generic?

Many scam emails begin with something like:

"Dear Creator,"

or

"Hello YouTuber."

They often shower you with compliments but never mention a specific video or explain why they've chosen your channel.

A genuine company is much more likely to refer to one of your videos, mention your niche, or explain why they think you're a good fit for their product.

Never rush to open attachments

This is probably the biggest danger.

Scammers often attach ZIP files, password-protected PDFs or other files claiming they contain a media kit, product catalogue or contract.

Unless I've verified the sender, those attachments stay unopened.

If the email is genuine, the company won't mind if you ask for more information first.

Check any links before clicking

Hover your mouse over any links without clicking them.

If an email claims to be from a well-known company but the link points somewhere completely different, that's a major warning sign.

Research the company

A quick internet search can tell you a lot.

Look for the company's website, social media pages and reviews. Search for the company name together with words like "scam", "review" or "creator experiences".

If it's a legitimate business, there should usually be evidence that it exists and has worked with other creators.

Contact the company directly

If you're still unsure, don't reply to the email straight away.

Visit the company's official website and contact them using the email address or contact form listed there. Simply ask whether the collaboration email is genuine.

It's a simple step that can save a lot of trouble.

If it sounds too good to be true...

Be realistic.

If someone is offering a surprisingly large payment for very little work, especially if your channel wouldn't normally attract that kind of sponsorship, it's worth asking yourself why.

Scammers rely on excitement clouding people's judgement.

Never hand over personal information

No genuine company should need your passwords, security codes or online banking details.

Even if an email appears convincing, never send sensitive information until you've verified exactly who you're dealing with.

Use a separate business email

I think it's good practice to have one email address purely for your YouTube channel and business enquiries.

It keeps your personal email private, makes genuine collaboration offers easier to manage, and limits any potential damage if a spam address ends up on mailing lists.

Trust your instincts

Finally, don't ignore that little voice in your head.

If something doesn't feel quite right, pause and investigate before replying.

A genuine company won't object if you take a day or two to verify who they are. Anyone trying to pressure you into acting immediately is raising another red flag.

My advice

Most collaboration emails are harmless, and many are genuine opportunities. However, scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and content creators are an attractive target.

These days I assume every unexpected collaboration email is suspicious until I've proved otherwise. It might sound cynical, but it's a habit that's served me well.

I'd much rather miss one genuine opportunity than fall victim to a scam that compromises my YouTube channel, my computer or my personal information.

My Honest Wave Global Experience (Playlist)

 

I’m documenting my experience with Wave Global because, from my very first email enquiry, I felt they weren’t being transparent or honest about why my order hadn’t been shipped. As time went on, that turned into false promises and missed deadlines, and I eventually lost all faith and trust in the company. The reason I’m sharing my experience is that I believe that if we, as customers, continue to accept this kind of behaviour, customer service will only continue to decline, and product quality is likely to follow.

Wave Trailblazer 3 O Unboxing, Set Up, Features, And First Impressions Review

After a 34-day wait (it was supposed to be shipped in 3 to 5 days), my Wave Trailblazer 3.0 finally arrived. During that time, quite a few people contacted me to tell me about the problems they'd experienced with their own Trailblazers, so I decided to record the entire unboxing as part of my first impressions review.

   

In this video, you'll see the complete unboxing, setup, and my honest first impressions of the Wave Trailblazer 3.0. It all starts off positively, but things take an unexpected turn. By the end of the review, I'm left sitting there in complete shock and disbelief, looking at a brand-new kayak that's completely unusable before it has even touched the water.

The experience has also left me questioning more than just the product itself. Based on my experience, I've been disappointed by the long wait, what I consider poor customer service, and what appears to be a complete lack of quality control before the kayak was shipped. If this is how products are leaving the warehouse, it raises some serious questions about the checks being carried out before customers receive them.

Watch the video and judge for yourself.

Wave Global Customer Service Review Part 2 - Wheres My Kayak?

As the title suggests, this is Part Two of my ongoing battle with Wave Global to get a straight answer as to when I can expect delivery of my Wave Trailblazer 3.0 kayak.

 

It has now been 33 days since I placed my order online for a kayak advertised with a 3–5 working day shipping time. In this video, I pick up where Part One left off and take you through the email correspondence to date, along with the responses I've received—or, in some cases, the tales I have been spun.

I don't think I've been unfair in how I've assessed Wave's customer service in either of my review videos. I've stuck to the facts, and every time I've dealt with them, I've stayed calm but firm. If anything, I've been far more patient than most people would have been in the same situation.