A new report has suggested that one or more people have falsely claimed to represent “The Drew Barrymore Show” in an attempt to scam guests and talent associated with the talk show host’s program. The hoax, which did not originate from Barrymore’s syndicated series or its producer CBS Media Ventures and Paramount Global, has been touting “paid opportunities” for potential guests and trying to arrange social media broadcasts like Facebook Live. Per three sources, some vendors for the show have received invoice requests that asked for personal banking details. Recently, the issue was escalated to the legal and IT departments at Paramount Global, the corporate parent.
Last Friday, the talent booking team at “The Drew Barrymore Show” started notifying celebrity reps across the industry about the matter. A memo circulated to publicists and agents read: “It has recently come to our attention that one or more individuals have fraudulently been holding themselves out to be connected with ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ and soliciting participation in Facebook Lives and other ‘paid opportunities.’
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These solicitations seem to be coming from various mock emails containing some part of the ‘Drew Barrymore’ name.” Another source noted that upcoming guests on talk shows (and many others like it) are public information for fans seeking tickets, often leading to such scams. Insiders familiar with the series said the scammers have been using Gmail accounts to reach out, and that all official communications from “The Drew Barrymore Show” are sent from the Paramount Global server. One person aware of the scam said a man posing as a show producer set and held meetings on the show’s behalf.
Currently in its fourth season, “The Drew Barrymore Show” recently welcomed guests including Maya Rudolph and Kristen Stewart. Barrymore, a Hollywood star known for the “Charlie’s Angels” franchise, is not the only talk show host targeted by fraud in recent months.
In January, “Watch What Happens Live!” host Andy Cohen appeared on the Today Show to share about experiencing ID fraud at his personal bank. Cohen said imposters pretending to reconcile his lost debit card ended up stealing a significant amount from his accounts. While not disclosing the amount, Cohen said it was “enough that I’m on the Today Show.”
