1. **Monthly Listeners vs. Total Plays**:
– If a playlist has a high number of monthly listeners but low total plays, it may indicate fake streams. Real listeners typically result in higher total plays over time.

2. **Monthly Listeners vs. Followers**:
– A significant mismatch between monthly listeners and followers can suggest fake streams. Legitimate artists usually have a more balanced ratio.

3. **Geographic Distribution**:
– Fake playlists often show listeners from large data centers like Los Angeles, Dallas, or Frankfurt. Real playlists typically have listeners from diverse locations.

4. **Engagement Metrics**:
– High save rates and playlist adds can be artificially inflated by bots. Real playlists usually have lower engagement metrics.

5. **Profile Analysis**:
– Check the curator’s profile for suspicious followers with strange names and no profile pictures. Real profiles typically have fully filled-out bios and social media links.

6. **Performance Monitoring**:
– Monitor the playlist’s performance over time. Fake playlists often have inconsistent or unrealistic streaming patterns.

7. **Avoid Paid Placements**:
– Never pay for playlist placement as it is against Spotify’s policy and often a scam.

8. **Legitimate Promotion Methods**:
– Use legitimate methods like social media advertising, Submithub, PlaylistPush, and direct communication with playlist curators.

The article emphasizes the importance of being cautious and not falling for scams that promise guaranteed plays or followers. It also highlights the potential consequences of using fake playlists, including harming your music career and facing penalties from Spotify.

Read the full article here: How To Identify Fake Spotify Playlists