The latest wave of fake online storefronts has hit the guitar world hard — and this time, it cost a longtime musician over $1,200. According to a recent report by News 6 Orlando, guitarist Daren Maas fell victim to an online scam after purchasing what he believed was a Gibson Les Paul from what looked like Guitar Center’s official website.
“It popped up as a Facebook ad,” Maas recalled. “I saw the price, thought it was a great deal, and placed the order.” What he didn’t realize is that the website — guitarcenter-us.com — was a copycat of the legitimate guitarcenter.com domain. The difference was just a few characters in the URL.
Shortly after placing his $1,231.56 order, Maas received an email confirmation — not from Guitar Center, but showing that the payment went to someone named Shane Griffin.
“As soon as I saw that, I knew I’d been had,” Maas said. “They’re hunting people like this, and it’s sad. I’m sure I’m not the only one they scammed.”
The site has since been taken down, but the Better Business Bureau says fake ads and fraudulent websites like this are alarmingly common — especially on social media, where flashy deals and urgency-driven marketing draw people in. “Go directly to the company’s website instead of clicking links in ads,” warned BBB CEO Holly Salmons. “If the deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.”
Guitar Center has also weighed in, with CEO Gabe Dalporto posting a warning to Instagram. “There’s been a spate of fake websites recently claiming to be Guitar Center with scam offers and scam deals,” he said. “There are a few red flags to be aware of. Number one: deals that are too good to be true. Number two: suspicious URLs. Number three: questionable social media accounts pushing these links.”
Maas is now working with his credit card provider to dispute the charge, but his story serves as a harsh reminder that even seasoned guitarists can fall prey to increasingly advanced online scams.
Tips to Avoid Online Guitar Scams:
- Always double-check the URL. The real Guitar Center site is guitarcenter.com — anything else is suspect.
- Be skeptical of social media ads offering deep discounts on popular gear.
- Avoid entering payment info on unfamiliar or poorly reviewed sites.
- Use trusted marketplaces and consult guides on how to safely buy and sell gear online.
Fake guitar websites, spoofed URLs, and scammy gear deals are on the rise. Protect yourself by staying vigilant — and never let a too-good-to-be-true Les Paul turn into a thousand-dollar lesson.
