The Creator Security Checklist — 27 things every creator should do
before their next brand deal.
Scammers specifically target creators because your email is public and your revenue is visible.
This checklist covers every security action that actually matters — no fluff, no generic advice.
A preview of what's inside
01
Enable 2FA on every platform — not SMS
SMS 2FA can be SIM-swapped in under 10 minutes. Use an authenticator app. One compromised account can cascade to your entire creator brand.
Account
02
Check the sender domain — not just the name
Scammers display "Nike Brand Partnerships" but send from nike-collab2025.net. Always expand the sender line before reading any brand deal email.
Email
03
Never pay a "processing fee" to receive payment
Legitimate brands never ask creators to pay fees upfront. Any advance-fee request — "release your funds," "tax processing" — is a scam, regardless of how professional the email looks.
Brand Deal
04
Audit your YouTube Studio linked apps every 90 days
OAuth grants don't expire. An app you authorized 2 years ago during a brand deal could still have full channel access — including the ability to delete your content.
Account
05
Hover every link before clicking — in email and DMs
Phishing URLs often mimic real domains with one character swapped (youtu.be vs y0utu.be). Take 1 second to hover and check the actual destination.
Email
06
Find the company on LinkedIn before any deal
A real agency has verifiable employees and history. If the company is 3 months old with 0 reviews and a founder with a stock photo headshot — walk away.
Brand Deal
07
Lock down your recovery email immediately
If your recovery email is compromised, every account that uses it for password reset is also compromised — even with 2FA.
Account
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