Recently, a lovely and long-time client of mine reached out to tell me about a bad experience she had, asking me to warn others. I was shocked to hear that she had been the victim of one of the latest type of author scams out there.
Her story inspired me to do some research, and I want to share what I found, so my readers don’t fall victim to any of these types of scams.
Still Scams But with Different Methods
The longstanding, and more commonly known, method for scamming authors has been in the form of those seemingly legit marketing companies who offer expensive services with nothing in return. Or the “Publishers” and “Agencies” asking you to pay thousands of dollars to publish, only to never print or release your book. Luckily, sites like Writer Beware and organizations like ALLi catalog these types of scams.
But today, it seems there are a multitude of smaller scale author scams and they mostly center around promises of book reviews or promotion and offering author services such as cover design. These scammers do everything from taking your money for services not rendered to hacking into your Amazon account, or worse.
What Seems Too Good to Be True May Just Be an Author Scam
These author scammers tend to seem legit because they approach authors as if they are fans of their work. They are using AI to write overly effusive and flattering(AI is very good at overly effusive, detailed, and flattering) compliments on books they’ve never read. They scan existing reviews, find authors on social platforms, and even reach out through email.
My client, who was the victim of one of these author scams, told me that this particular scammer reached out and offered to review her book on Goodreads. She even followed through on her promise, and did have a legitimate GoodReads account. Yet, the scammer then stole a $200 gift certificate from her Amazon account before she even realized what had happened. Of course, Amazon noticed this and shut down her author account. So, she also had to go through the trouble of reinstating it.
This was all because she replied to a single email out of many, because it seemed to be sincere.
Now, she’s pretty savvy, and not a newbie in the indie author world. So if she was scammed, then anyone could be a victim. This also showed me that these scammers are capable of being sophisticated and will even look legitimate. And they’re usually pretty enticing because they include the above mentioned flattery and potential or promise for book promotion.
Some Examples of Authors Scams that are Prevalent Right Now
After doing some research in communities like Reddit (r/selfpublish) and reading through industry-focused blogs, it seems the scam that my client fell prey to is fairly common. But I also found a concerning amount of variety in these author scams.
But I did notice a trend. These types of scams are for services and promotions from “fans” and they will reach out via email or through your social DMs.
The most common types of author scams I noticed were:
- “Artists” and “Designers”, or “Book Marketing Experts” offering services because they were so inspired by your book.
- Offers of good reviews because they loved your book so much and they want others to read it.
- Offers of promotion through their connections with influencers, marketing agencies, and/or industry organizations.
- Book clubs that want to order your book but you have to pay them a fee to promote it to the club.
- Fellow “authors”, all offering praise and promotion with a catch.
How to Detect these Author Scams So You Don’t Fall Victim
- First and foremost, I have to say that, generally, you have to seek out services. They don’t seek you out. Yes, you may get an occasional cold pitch from a freelancer, but most companies that offer author services do not send out flattering messages and emails to authors. Authors come to them. If a legit freelancer does pitch you, they will have a website, or a portfolio to share, and a clear offer based on the services they provide.
- Second, you may notice the message is overly flattering, and making vague but aspirational promises of promotion with no details on how they do this. They may also start slow, praising your book or asking to follow you on Goodreads or other platforms, and if you respond, they will then try to rope you into paying for services or good reviews, etc.
- Third, these emails seem to come largely from Gmail addresses, and not from legit-sounding company emails or websites.
Things to Look For that Tell You if They’re Legit or Not (They most likely are not)
Any legitimate company, organization, freelancer, or influencer will be easy to spot. They will have proof of what they are offering, include information, communicate with transparency and will have a website, and online presence of some sort. If none of this is true, simply ignore the communication.
But even if all of this is present and they do seem legit, first make sure:
- The communication is from a legitimate email address or account page, and then do your research on the company’s or individual’s website and/or social accounts.
- Google the person’s name (or the company or organization) and see if you can find any proof of their professionalism or the claims they are making.
- Not to click on any links in these emails and do NOT respond directly to these messages or emails until you have done the research.
- Consult Writer Beware, or ALLi’s site for mentions of them.
- IF you do find they are a legitimate company, freelancer, or influencer with a good reputation, still proceed with caution. Get contracts and/or formal proposals before committing to anything, for example.
Don’t Get Taken in by Flattery
I know every writer wants to be noticed and appreciated, and compliments make you feel great! I also know that it can be tough to find helpful author services, and that marketing your book can get overwhelming.
These scammers also know this, and that is how they rope you in and are able to pull off these author scams. So, be vigilant, stay informed, and if something seems suspicious, trust your instincts and avoid communication.
Because if something seems too easy, or too good to be true, it usually is. Also, keep in mind, if someone likes your book enough to leave a good review, they would have already done it. They don’t need to ask you about it.
Seek Guidance from Legitimate, Trusted Sources
As I mentioned, organizations like ALLi and sites like Writer Beware are great sources for information on scams and other resources. And there are many other professional organizations that offer resources and guidance for indie authors, such as the IBPA. Being familiar with these types of legitimate and helpful professionals, and understanding how things work in the industry, makes it easier to spot what is NOT professional and normal as well.
I also strive to help indie authors have the best possible experience of bringing their books into the world. So if you have any questions, or would like to see me write about a specific topic that concerns you, please leave a comment on the original post.
You can also search my blog for tips, guidance and resources for indie authors. The answer to your questions may already be right there!
My company, Monkey C Media, offers author services and has a blog filled with a ton of useful author marketing tips and information. So check it out!
Stay safe out there indie authors!
