Influencer marketing is powerful, but it is also the "Wild West." For every professional creator who delivers incredible ROI, there are dozens of scammers using viewbots, toxic personalities waiting to cause a PR disaster, or simply unreliable amateurs.
As a brand manager, your job is to filter the signal from the noise.
At StreamerRadar, we analyze millions of data points to help brands find safe, authentic partners. Based on our data, here are the 5 major Red Flags you must check before sending that sponsorship offer.
1. The "Silent Disco" (High Viewers, Dead Chat)
This is the most common scam in the industry: Viewbotting. A streamer might show 2,000 concurrent viewers, but the chat is moving like a snail.
The Red Flag:
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You see 2,000+ viewers.
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The chat has only 1 message every 30 seconds.
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The viewer list is full of generic names (e.g., User1239, Bob555).
Why it hurts you:Bots don't have credit cards. You are paying for "eyeballs" that don't exist.The Fix: Check the Chat Velocity metric on StreamerRadar. A healthy channel with 2,000 viewers should have a fast-moving, unreadable chat.
2. The "Giveaway Farmer"
Some streamers artificially inflate their numbers by running 24/7 giveaways. "Type !giveaway to win a PS5!"
The Red Flag:
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The stream title always contains "GIVEAWAY" or "DROPS ENABLED."
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The chat is 100% spamming commands like
!join,!ticket, or!play. -
No one is talking about the game or the streamer's personality.
Why it hurts you:These viewers are "reward hunters." They are not there to watch the content or buy your product; they are there for free stuff. Once the giveaway ends, they leave. Your conversion rate (ROI) will be near zero.
3. The "Toxic History" (Brand Safety Risk)
This is the nightmare scenario for PR departments. You sponsor a streamer, and the next day, a clip goes viral of them screaming slurs, breaking keyboards, or harassing other players.
The Red Flag:
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The streamer has a history of frequent bans on Twitch or Kick.
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Their community uses edgy, offensive emotes.
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A quick Google search of their name reveals "drama" videos or apology tweets.
Why it hurts you:Guilt by association. If your logo is on the screen while they say something offensive, social media will blame you.The Fix: Use StreamerRadar’s Brand Safety Score (if applicable) or manually review their top clips from the last 30 days.
4. Inconsistent Schedule & "Ghosting"
Reliability is a skill. Many talented streamers treat streaming as a casual hobby, not a job.
The Red Flag:
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They haven't streamed in 10 days.
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Their "Schedule" panel is empty or says "I stream when I feel like it."
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Their VODs (past broadcasts) show they are often late or end streams abruptly due to "rage quitting."
Why it hurts you:If you pay for a sponsored stream on Friday at 6 PM, and they show up at 7:30 PM (or not at all), your entire marketing launch is disrupted. Professionalism matters.
5. The "No VODs" Policy
Streamers who delete their past broadcasts (VODs) immediately after streaming are often hiding something.
The Red Flag:
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You go to their "Videos" tab, and it is empty.
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They have clips disabled.
Why it hurts you:
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Verification: You cannot verify if they actually did the ad read you paid for.
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Suspicion: Often, streamers delete VODs to hide evidence of viewbotting or ToS (Terms of Service) violations to avoid being banned. Always demand a VOD.
Conclusion: Trust Data, Not Hype
Don't be dazzled by a follower count. A streamer with 100,000 followers who viewbots is worthless compared to a streamer with 500 real, engaged fans.
Due diligence is key.Before you sign a contract, run the channel through StreamerRadar search. Check the graphs. Look for sudden, unnatural spikes in viewership. Read the chat logs.
Protect your budget and your brand reputation by partnering only with verified, authentic creators.