Real creators, real scams. Click any entry to see what we checked.
Known, verified accounts.
Lead pastor, Elevation Church (Charlotte). 20 locations, 17K+ weekly attendance. NYT bestselling author. Grammy-nominated via Elevation Worship.
| Company | ✓ | Elevation Church — nonprofit, 2006, 20 locations |
| Person | ✓ | Wikipedia. MDiv, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary |
| Domain | ✓ | stevenfurtick.com active since 2006 |
| Reports | — | No fraud. Impersonator accounts common |
| Socials | ✓ | Consistent across all platforms |
50-year ministry career. Pastor emeritus, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship. The Urban Alternative on 1,400+ stations in 130+ countries. 100+ books.
| Company | ✓ | Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship (1976) + The Urban Alternative (1981) |
| Person | ✓ | First African American ThD from DTS. Wikipedia |
| Domain | ✓ | tonyevans.org since June 1997 — 28 years |
| Reports | ✓ | None found |
NYT bestselling author. 30+ year ministry. Founded Cornerstone Community Church, Eternity Bible College, We Are Church. Crazy Love Ministries.
| Company | ✓ | Crazy Love Ministries, Eternity Bible College |
| Person | ✓ | Wikipedia. NYT bestseller (David C Cook) |
| Domain | ✓ | crazylove.org since March 2003. francischan.org since 2006 |
| Socials | — | @crazylove is team-managed. Francis not personally active — DMs from "him" are fake |
Bestselling author, poet, hip-hop artist. B&H Publishing. Reach Records. "Upon Waking" hit USA Today list.
| Person | ✓ | Wikipedia. Multiple bestsellers. TGC Award |
| Company | ✓ | B&H Publishing, Reach Records, TGC speaker |
| Domain | ✓ | jackiehillperry.com established |
| Reports | ✓ | None |
"Every Woman a Theologian." LLC in Michigan. Christianity Today feature. Focus on the Family. Verity podcast.
| Company | ✓ | Phylicia Masonheimer, LLC. MI registered. USPTO trademarks |
| Domain | ✓ | phyliciamasonheimer.com since Nov 2017 |
| ✓ | Domain-based email confirmed |
ThM, Dallas Theological Seminary. THE BEAT on YouTube, 1M+ subscribers. Let's Equip, INC. Focus on the Family endorsement.
| Company | ✓ | Let's Equip, INC — registered nonprofit |
| Person | ✓ | ThM DTS (2004), confirmed on DTS website |
| Domain | ✓ | allenparr.com since April 2013 |
Creative director, social media strategist, Chicagoland. Mims Creative Co. Clients: Maverick City Music, Willow Creek.
| Person | ✓ | Consistent across 7+ platforms |
| Company | ✓ | Mims Creative Co. LLC. Maverick City, Willow Creek, Tribl |
| Domain | ✓ | michaelrmims.co — professional site |
| Reports | ✓ | Zero complaints |
Small devotional account. Scripture art and reflections. College student. 2+ years consistent posting. Lower confidence due to limited data.
| Person | ✓ | Real person. College listed, tagged by friends |
| Company | — | No business. Personal account |
| Domain | — | No website |
| Socials | — | Instagram only |
Typical nano creator. No red flags, but limited data means lower confidence.
Real companies with real problems.
Real global megachurch. Chart-topping worship music. But: founder resigned amid misconduct, $80M+ unreported income, abuse cover-up allegations. MinistryWatch flagged.
| Company | ✓ | Real. Est. 1983 Sydney. Capitol CMG publishing |
| Person | ✓ | Verifiable leadership |
| Domain | ✓ | hillsong.com — decades old |
| Reputation | ✗ | Founder misconduct. $80M+ unreported. Abuse cover-up. MinistryWatch alert |
Legit entity. Collab will draw criticism from many Christian audiences.
Was top apologetics ministry. Independent investigation confirmed founder used ministry funds to finance sexual abuse. Brand is toxic. Rebranded to "Avi Center."
| Company | ✓ | Was real nonprofit. Rebranded post-scandal |
| Person | ✗ | Founder confirmed fraud and abuse. Miller & Martin investigation |
| Reports | ✗ | MinistryWatch removed transparency rating |
| Reputation | ✗ | Most documented ministry fraud case in modern history |
Do not collaborate. RZIM brand is irrecoverably damaged.
Mars Hill dissolved 2014. $210K+ in tithes used to buy NYT bestseller status via ResultSource. Now leads The Trinity Church in Arizona.
| Company | ✓ | Trinity Church (AZ) is real. Mars Hill dissolved 2014 |
| Person | ✓ | Real public figure. Wikipedia |
| Reports | ✗ | $210K ResultSource scheme. World Magazine. "Rise and Fall" podcast |
| Reputation | ✗ | Bestseller fraud, authoritarian leadership. Polarizing |
Real ministry since 1967. But: extreme financial opacity, $36M private jet, no ECFA membership, Senate investigation (Grassley, 2007-2011).
| Company | ✓ | KCM registered, operational since 1967 |
| Reports | — | Not fraud. Senate investigation. Refuses disclosure |
| Reputation | ✗ | Private jets, prosperity gospel, viral Inside Edition confrontation |
What scam outreach looks like.
Claims talent management for Fortune 500. Domain 12 days old. No LinkedIn for team. Template site, stock photos. 3 Reddit warnings.
| Company | ✗ | No registration, no BBB, no press |
| Person | ✗ | "Sarah Thompson" — no LinkedIn, stock photo |
| Domain | ✗ | 12 days old. Privacy WHOIS |
| Reports | ✗ | 3 warnings on r/influencermarketing |
Classic fake agency. New domain, stock photos, no verifiable team.
Claims Nike's influencer team. Gmail address. Nike uses @nike.com. Urgency language, requests personal info upfront.
| ✗ | Gmail. No Fortune 500 uses Gmail for partnerships | |
| Person | ✗ | "James Wilson" not found at Nike or any agency |
| Reports | ✗ | Widely reported pattern on r/NewTubers |
If a big brand emails from Gmail — it's not them.
Christian apparel, free product for posts. Shopify store exists. Domain 4 months old. No reviews anywhere. No owner name.
| Company | — | Shopify exists. No LLC, no BBB |
| Person | ✗ | No name on site, no LinkedIn |
| ✓ | Branded domain, not Gmail | |
| Socials | — | IG 1.2K. Low engagement |
Not clearly scam, not clearly legit. Never pay upfront. Get a real name first.
"Christian marketing agency" offering $500/post. After contact, pivots to crypto platform or "creator network" with fees. Bait-and-switch.
| Company | ✗ | No verifiable clients or portfolio |
| Person | ✗ | "David Chen" — LinkedIn created last month, 12 connections |
| Reports | ✗ | Pattern reported on r/antiMLM |
If pay seems too good, or they pivot to "join our network" — it's MLM.
"Faith-based podcast sponsorship." No website (parked domain). No social media. No Google results. Zero data.
| Company | ✗ | No website, no registration, no results |
| Person | ✗ | No name given. Signed "The Lightbearers Team" |
| Domain | — | Registered 6 months ago, never built |
| Socials | ✗ | Nothing. No platform presence at all |
Could be unlaunched or throwaway. Do not share info until they prove identity.