Fraud Alert: Protecting Voice Actors and Creative Freelancers from Impersonation Scams
Official Notice Regarding Fraudulent Freelance Project Scams
It has come to our attention that the name of Custom Media is being used by unauthorized individuals in fraudulent freelance project scams. These scams are specifically targeting freelance professionals in the creative industry, including voice actors in the US and Japan, with illegitimate project offers.
Custom Media, a creative agency based in Tokyo, Japan, takes this matter very seriously. Your trust and security are paramount to us. This page is intended to help you identify these scams and protect yourself from fraud. We are grateful to the vigilant members of the creative community who have brought this to our attention.
How to Identify a Scam
Scammers often create a sense of urgency and excitement to bypass your better judgment. Please carefully check for these common red flags, especially if you are a voice actor or other creative freelancer.
1. Check the Email Domain
This is the most critical checkpoint. All official and legitimate email communication from our team will always come from an address ending in @custom-media.com. Any other domain is fraudulent.
2. We Will Never Ask You for Payment
Custom Media will never ask for any form of payment from a freelancer. We do not request fees for equipment, software, training, background checks, or administrative processing. If you are asked to send your own money for any reason, it is a scam.
3. Suspicious Requests to Move Communication
If we initiate contact on a professional platform like Upwork or Fiverr, we will conduct all communication through that platform’s official messaging service. Any request to immediately move the conversation to an unsecure, private channel like Telegram, WhatsApp, or a personal email address is a major red flag and likely a scam.
4. Unofficial Interview or Onboarding Channels
Our process does not involve project discussions conducted exclusively via text message. Initial contact may be via email, LinkedIn, or a platform like Upwork, but it will always be followed by a formal process, which may include a scheduled video call with our team.
5. Requests for Sensitive Personal Information
We will never ask for sensitive data like your bank account number, credit card details, or passport information during the initial contact phase. This information is only ever collected through a secure, official onboarding process or via the secure payment system of a trusted platform like Upwork or Fiverr after a formal contract has been signed.
Our Official Process for Engaging Freelancers
To provide clarity, here is how Custom Media engages with freelance partners in Japan and internationally:
- Initial Contact: Our team will reach out from an official @custom-media.com email address, through our verified company page on LinkedIn, or via official platforms like Upwork and Fiverr.
- Project Discussion: We conduct professional discussions about project scope and deliverables, which may include a scheduled video conference.
- Contract: A formal contract is provided for review and signature. On platforms like Upwork/Fiverr, this is handled through their official contract and escrow system.
- Payment: We never ask freelancers to pay us. For direct projects, payment details are collected securely after a contract is in place. On platforms like Upwork/Fiverr, we fund the project through their secure escrow service, which protects both parties.
What to Do If You Are Contacted
If you believe you have been contacted by a scammer impersonating Custom Media for a voice acting project or any other freelance work, we urge you to take the following steps:
- Do Not Respond: Cease all communication immediately.
- Do Not Share Information: Do not provide any personal or financial data. Do not click on any suspicious links or download attachments.
- Block and Report: Block the sender and report them on the platform where they contacted you (e.g., report the email as “Phishing” in Gmail or report the user profile on Upwork/Fiverr). This is the fastest way to get their account shut down.
- (Optional) Please let us know: Forward the suspicious message to us at security@custom-media.com. This helps us track fraudulent activity.
We are actively working to report and shut down these fraudulent accounts. Thank you for your partnership in keeping our creative community safe.