Fraudsters are impersonating public radio producers and hosts — including staff from NHPR — to set up fake interviews and in-person appearances, with the ultimate goal of stealing money.
How the scam works
Scammers send convincing emails pretending to be radio producers and/or hosts, inviting authors onto a show or event. Once a response is received, they will eventually ask the author to pay money upfront — often claiming it's to cover costs for a third-party graphic designer, event promoter, or travel manager.
With the help of AI, these emails can look very real, but legitimate public radio outlets like NHPR will never ask authors or guests to pay fees to participate in an interview.
What to look out for
- Payment requests: Any ask for money, fee coverage, or payments to third-party contractors is an immediate red flag.
- Check the sender email: Official communications from New Hampshire Public Radio will only come from email addresses ending in @nhpr.org. If you receive a request from a Gmail address, an altered domain, or any other email extension, do not respond.
- Even then, scammers are able to spoof official email addresses. If you’re in doubt about the sender, please call NHPR to verify at 603-228-8910 or email us at communications@nhpr.org.
What to Do
If you receive a suspicious email claiming to be from an NHPR producer or host, do not engage with them.
Stay vigilant, and share this warning with fellow writers and colleagues in the publishing community.
More resources
Scammers used AI to impersonate me, a KUOW reporter. Here’s how to avoid such traps
Beware: fake interview invitations using WBUR shows and names
