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Social media alerts and fan discussions have raised concerns this week after a purported concert by Romanian pop act Akcent was advertised for January 30 in Pakistan. However, verified information now shows the event is not real and has not been authorized by the artist or their official representatives.
According to posts circulating online, and a widely shared update from one of Akcent’s official social channels, the artist’s name and image were used without permission by event promoters seeking to secure sponsorship deals.
Promotional material for the fake event included the renown brands like KFC and Pepsi, giving an impression of sponsorship, but no official partnership was confirmed. Their names were seemingly used to add credibility, highlighting the need for brands to distance themselves from unauthorized promotions and verify associations before engaging with event organizers.
Akcent, led by founder Adrian Sînă and known internationally for hits like “That’s My Name”, “Stay With Me”, and “King of Disco”, is a Romanian dance-pop group with a global fanbase, including in Pakistan. The band has performed in the country several times in the past, and Pakistani audiences have often shown enthusiasm for its music.
This is not the first time issues of fraudulent events and concert scams have hit Pakistan’s entertainment scene. Social media has previously exposed fake shows and misleading promotions that left crowds disappointed and sponsors exposed, underscoring the need for robust checks in pre-event planning.
