Drummer David Needs Help After Scam Loss

Hey there. My name is David Dunham, a full-time drummer from Las Vegas. I’m just creating this GoFundMe hoping for a chance to rebuild and warn other professional drummers about a scam that I recently fell victim to. A few weeks ago, a very trusted friend received an email from a company called “Missoni Fashion,” and they claimed that they were looking to hire drummers for a gig. My friend is involved with the drumming industry but does not gig himself. He had heard that I recently quit my job to pursue music full-time and thought that he would help me out by passing this opportunity down to me. I received notice from him that he sent them my email, and the next day I heard from the company. This is what it read:

“Hello David, my name is Dir. Mary Witson. I need a drummer/s for a commercial event. (My friend) shared your email. The date of the event is February 24th - 28th, 2025 (choose 2 days that work for you). All compensation will be paid. Kindly confirm the dates you are available so we can have you booked. Director Mary Witson.”

After I confirmed my availability, I was told by this person that the gig pays VERY well. The number was so big that I was willing to be compliant in whatever I had to do to secure this gig. They then told me that they would be mailing me a check with a booking fee on it and the cost of the outfit that they would be making me for the commercial. They had me go to a tailor and get my current measurements so they could start making the outfit. I did so and sent them the measurements. Then they asked for my address so the check could be mailed to me. The check arrived, and they told me to go deposit it so I could send the money to their wardrobe specialist. Excited for the gig and unaware of how fashion companies or commercials work, I complied. Stupidly. After the check was deposited, they gave me a PayPal account to send the money to. I did, and long story short, the check ended up being fake, and the check was about the same amount as what I had in my account already. The result of this check bouncing and me sending the money to them left me just a couple hundred dollars from being completely broke.

Where I am now is a place of uncertainty and fear for my well-being, as I prepare to not be able to pay my bills, put gas in my car, or pay to feed myself. I just barely started to gig full-time again. It hasn’t even been 2 months, so the gigs are coming in slow and not paying much. I’ve reported the incident to my bank, police, and the FBI, and there’s not much I can do but wait and see if they can catch whoever committed the fraud against me.

As bad as that all sounds, that wasn’t my main point in making this GoFundMe. The main reason is to warn my fellow gigging drummers that we are being targeted by online scammers, and that no matter how desperate you are for gig opportunities, be EXTRA careful and never accept money from anyone that wants you to send money to someone else. This is a very common scam that I was unaware of. Now I’m learning the hard way.

My total loss is upwards of $4000. But at this point, I’m just trying to get enough to survive the month. The result of chasing my dreams and quitting my job came with a price, I guess. I know from now on I’ll have to be super cautious of gig offers, even if they come from a trusted source. I refuse to give up despite this setback. Things were going so well. I secured 3 consistent gigs and a drum endorsement in my first month of doing full-time drumming. While doing all this I’ve been cultivating a community in my city that is dedicated to the art of “drum shedding”. I’ve successfully connected 100+ drummers in my city with each other via events I’ve hosted at public parks and at local venues. It brings me insane amounts of joy and pleasure to watch drummers in my city grow on the instrument and connect with each other. The group has found people gigs, music projects, used gear deals, lessons, and more. This setback drastically delays events that I’ve been planning for months for them because it costs me money to throw the type of events that I have planned. At the end of the day I’m thankful to be alive and in good health. However, my financial troubles are making me fear for what might happen come the end of the month. I hate to ask for any help generally ever, but especially more now because a lot of people I know are struggling financially, in health and spiritual warfare, or have medical needs that are far more severe. This was all I could think of that might be a saving grace. Any and all help is greatly appreciated. Thank you,

David Dunham