The biggest practical risk is platform enforcement: purchasing accounts or followers typically violates SoundCloud's Terms of Use and community guidelines. Meaning bought accounts can be suspended or permanently banned whenever you want, wiping out the investment and any audience that came with it. There's also a high risk of scams and theft—sellers can disappear after payment, or the account offered may be compromised, associated with stolen personal data, or already flagged by SoundCloud. Financial loss and exposure of personal information are real possibilities.
Legally and ethically, buying accounts sits in a grey (often undesirable) area. If an account was created using someone else's identity or obtained through fraudulent means, possession and use could expose a customer to legal trouble or complicate disputes over ownership. Ethically, buying audiences or accounts undermines fair competition and can mislead fans, promoters, and collaborators about an artist's true reach and engagement. For artists building a reputation, authenticity usually matters more—and lasts longer—than inflated numbers.
There are safer, legitimate alternatives that produce durable results. Invest amount of time in consistent releases, high-quality audio, and thoughtful engagement with listeners and other creators; use SoundCloud's official tools and partner programs; collaborate with blogs, playlists, and other artists; and consider reputable music marketing services that use transparent, compliant strategies (paid ads, playlist pitches, PR). These approaches usually takes longer, but they reduce the risk of account loss, scams, and reputational damage while building real listener relationships.
If you're tempted with a shortcut, weigh the short-term benefits against the long-term costs. Losing an account, being banned, or getting associated with suspicious activity can set a career back more than a slow-but-steady growth plan. Protect your computer data, read platform policies, and prioritize methods that preserve control, ownership, and credibility—those are the assets that actually help a musical project succeed.