FBI Issues Warning Ahead Of CMA Fest (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for CMA)
FBI Warns About Increasing Scams Ahead Of CMA Fest
As CMA Fest brings thousands of country music fans to Nashville, federal authorities are warning attendees to watch out for scammers surrounding the annual event.
The FBI’s Nashville Field Office recently issued a warning about several types of criminal activity that have become increasingly common. These scams include fake ticket sales, social media impersonation schemes, account takeovers, extortion attempts, and fraudulent business opportunities.
Officials say ticket scams remain one of the biggest threats during major events like CMA Fest. The agency says artificial intelligence is also playing a role, allowing scammers to become more sophisticated in their efforts.
“Artificial intelligence is getting only more sophisticated,” FBI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Terence Reilly said. “We can see people representing themselves to be a country music artist and asking a fan for money.”
What Is CMA Fest?
CMA Fest will return to downtown Nashville from June 4 through June 7, marking the 54th year of the popular country music festival. The annual event is expected to draw thousands of fans from across the country and will feature performances and appearances from dozens of country music stars throughout the four-day celebration.
Organized by the Country Music Association, the major performances are expected to be held at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium, while additional stages, exhibits, and fan activities are spread throughout the city’s downtown area.
Head over to their official website to see whose all performing here.
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How Can You Keep Yourself Protected?
According to the FBI, complaints submitted to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) show that music fans lost more than $325,000 to non-delivery scams involving concert tickets, festival passes, meet-and-greet packages, and merchandise between January 2024 and September 2025.
The agency recommends purchasing tickets only through trusted and verified vendors. Fans are also encouraged to carefully examine website URLs, avoid clicking suspicious links, and enable multi-factor authentication on their accounts. They also say to be cautious of sellers who demand immediate payment or offer deals that seem too good to be true.
Anyone who believes they have been targeted by a scam is encouraged to report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
