How Scammers Target Cheer Gyms

Scammers love busy business owners—and cheer gyms are prime targets. In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton shares real stories and practical steps to protect your money, accounts, and reputation from the most common attacks hitting gym owners right now. You’ll hear how a convincing “change of bank details” email stole a rent payment, what red flags to look for in phishing messages and spoofed websites, and why too-good-to-be-true equipment “deals” are almost always traps. Dan also breaks down predatory financing—from “gross receipts” loans to buried terms like forced draws and sky-high interest—and explains how to pursue legit lines of credit with a real bank instead. Finally, he covers government/tech support impersonation scams, “Facebook account will be deleted” scare tactics, and the universal gift-card red flag. What you’ll learn: How to spot phishing (domain look-alikes, spoofed bank pages) before you click The loan terms that scream “predatory” and what a legitimate LOC looks like Safe-buying rules for used gear and marketplace posts When to verify by phone/in-person before sending money The fastest way to shut down “urgent” calls, texts, and DMs If you’re a cheer gym owner, coach, or youth sports operator, this playbook will help you avoid losses, shut down scams, and stay focused on your athletes and business.