"Your channel received a copyright strike. Click here to appeal within 24 hours or your channel will be deleted." The email looks official, the threat feels urgent — and it is often a complete fake. Scammers send fake copyright strike emails to creators because fear makes people click without thinking. The link leads to a fake login page that steals your Google password, or to a malware download.
What a real YouTube copyright notice looks like
- A real notice comes to the email address linked to your Google Account, from an address ending in youtube.com or google.com. Check the sender's full address — not just the display name, which anyone can fake.
- A real strike always appears in YouTube Studio. Open YouTube Studio yourself (type the address, do not click the email link) and check the Content section and the copyright area. If there is no strike there, the email is fake.
- A real notice names the specific video, the claimant, and the work involved.
- YouTube never asks you to download a file, install anything, or pay money to remove a strike.
Red flags of a fake strike email
- The sender's domain is not youtube.com or google.com — it may be a lookalike domain or a free email address.
- Urgent threats: "your channel will be deleted in 24 hours" or "act now or lose monetization forever". Real notices give you time and clear options.
- The link goes to a login page asking for your Google password or 2FA code. YouTube never asks for your password by email link.
- An attachment to download — an "appeal form", a "notice PDF" or a "video". Do not open it.
- A demand for payment, gift cards or cryptocurrency to "remove the strike".
- The "infringing video" is one you never uploaded, or the video title does not match anything on your channel.
- Odd wording, grammar mistakes, or a generic greeting ("Dear creator") with no channel name.
What to do when you get one
- Do not click any link and do not download any attachment.
- Open YouTube Studio yourself and check for a real strike. If there is none, the email is fake — delete it.
- Check the sender's full email address in your mail app (in Gmail, click the small arrow next to the sender's name to see the real address).
- If you want to check the link safely, copy the URL (do not click it) and paste it into our link safety checker. It is a basic check, not a guarantee — but it flags many fake domains.
- In Gmail, use "Report phishing" on the message so Google can block the sender for others.
- If you already clicked the link or entered your password: change your Google password immediately from a clean device, turn on authenticator-app 2FA, sign out of all sessions, and follow our YouTube channel recovery guide.
If you have a real strike
First, read the notice carefully in YouTube Studio. YouTube's own Copyright Center explains your options: in many cases you can wait for the strike to expire after 90 days, or ask the claimant for a retraction. If you believe the claim is wrong and you genuinely own the rights to the content, you can submit a counter notification — but a false counter notification has legal consequences, so get legal advice first if you are unsure. Never pay a stranger who offers to "remove" a strike for you.
Fake strikes on Instagram and TikTok
The same scam runs on Instagram and TikTok through DMs and emails claiming your account will be banned for copyright. The rule is the same: real warnings appear inside the app's own notifications. Open the app yourself and check there. Report the DM or email inside the app and block the sender.