Fake Amazons
In the past year or so, I’ve noticed an upsurge in scams that employ the Amazon name, or the names of Amazon trademarks, to try and trick hopeful writers into believing they are working with a company affiliated with Amazon, or even with Amazon itself.
As is common with scams these days, many of these questions come from writers who’ve been solicited via email or phone (you can see one such story here)–but also from writers looking to self-publish, who googled “self publishing” or “Amazon self-publishing” or “KDP publishing” or a similar search term.
Right at the top of such searches are sponsored links purchased by Amazon fakers. For example, here’s what came up for a search on “Amazon Kindle publishing”:
All four sponsored links are scams (see the list at the bottom of this post). The real Amazon KDP is down there at #5.
Some Amazon fakers use Amazon-ish logos, the better to further the illusion.
Others simply rely on the power of including “Amazon” or “KDP” in their names. Some include disclaimers indicating that they’re not actually affiliated with Amazon–but many don’t, and for those that do, it’s down at the bottom of their sites where it is easy to miss.
Although the proliferation of Amazon-named scams is relatively new, the type of operation they represent has been around for some time: these are all ghostwriting scams, similar to those I discuss in detail here. Ghostwriting scams sell ghostwriting services, but also editing, formatting, publishing, marketing, design, and more, and aggressively market themselves to writers who are looking to self-publish or searching for services associated with self-publishing.
The Amazon fakers exhibit the same set of markers as other ghostwriting scams: solicitation, poor written English (almost without exception, they are based overseas, in Pakistan, India and the Philippines), claims of expertise that can’t be verified because there’s no concrete information about company or staff, false claims (for example, to have been in business for 10 years when their web domain was only registered a year ago, or to have worked on traditionally-published books by well-known writers), and unrealistic hype (“Become the next best-selling author!”).
They use the same tactics to make themselves seem legit: 5-star ratings on TrustPilot (where fake and paid reviews are rampant: a good review at TrustPilot is in no way an indication that a company is honest or legit), equally fake testimonials from people with no last names and/or stock photos. Some falsely attach the names of traditionally published authors to glowing reviews of their services.
Another hallmark of ghostwriting scams: doing business under multiple names. For example, Amazon Digital Publications also does business as Pioneer Book Writers (their websites are identical).
Amazon Publishing Partners and Amazon Publishing Forum also have identical websites. Ditto for Amazon Global Publishing and Amazon Publication House. Amazon Publishing Associate, Worldwide Book Publishing, and Book Publishing Services share web content and formatting. And Amazon Publishing Pros shares text and “portfolio” items with Kindle Publishers Inc., Savvy Book Marketing, and Infinix Digital…ghostwriting scams all.
Ghostwriting scams often offer a fairly reasonably-priced package to begin with–but only to get you through the door, so you can be targeted for upselling pressure or fraudulent bookstore schemes (you’re told that bookstores want to order thousands of copies of your book; you have to pay for it to be printed, but don’t worry, 100% of the sales proceeds will be yours!).
I’ve also heard from authors who paid for services and never heard from the scammer again, or who received “edited” manuscripts that incorporated new errors, or who experienced delay after delay inadequately explained by excuses, or who protested quality issues or other problems and were suddenly informed they’d been transferred to a new company and the whole process had to start over. Most ghostwriting scams promise money-back guarantees–but surprise! They don’t honor them. Authors who persist may simply be ghosted, or, if the scammer is feeling frisky, threatened with bogus legal action and destruction of their credit score.
A few simple rules to help you avoid Amazon fakers:
- Amazon does not charge fees for its self-publishing services. KDP is free. Amazon doesn’t sell adjunct services, either (such as marketing), and it doesn’t work with “affiliates” that offer such services. If you have to pay, you are not dealing with Amazon, regardless of what the company calls itself.
- It requires no special or proprietorial expertise to self-publish on Amazon (or IngramSpark for that matter). Thousands of authors do it very successfully all by themselves. Don’t believe anyone who claims they can add some sort of secret special sauce to turbocharge the process. They’re not doing anything you couldn’t do on your own. (Whether you want to DIY is another question, of course. Not everyone does. But if you don’t, there are better options than a fake Amazon.)
- Any publishing-related solicitation is highly likely to be a scam. Reputable companies rarely reach out to authors they don’t already work with. For scammers, on the other hand, it’s their main mode of recruitment.
- If you’re looking for a reputable service, don’t click on sponsored links. Are all sponsored links scams? Certainly not. But plenty of them are, so they’re best avoided.
- If you’re interested in self-publishing but aren’t sure where to start, visit Writer Beware’s Self-Publishing page…and do it before you start searching for a service or platform. It’ll give you the context you need to sift through the info you find online, and links to helpful resources, too.
UPDATE 11/1/23: Amazon has filed a lawsuit against a number of Amazon scammers (many of whom are based–surprise!–in Pakistan, and several of which I’ve identified in the final section of this post), alleging infringement of Amazon marks, willful false statements in connection with goods and/or services distributed in interstate commerce, dilution of the Amazon marks, and bad faith intent to profit, and seeking to permanently bar the defendants from all such activities and require them to hand over all profits, pay actual and statutory damages, and reimburse all legal fees and other costs associated with the lawsuit.
The complaint, which you can see here, includes many examples of scammer website content (including examples of how identical websites operate under multiple names), as well as experiences of victims of the scams. Prior to filing the complaint, Amazon had already taken possession of most of the scams’ domain names, via Uniform Domain Name Dispute actions resolved earlier this year.
I’ll be keeping an eye on the case, and posting updates as they happen.
KDP “Kickstarter” Fake
Over the past few months, I’ve gotten several reports of emails from “amazon.submissions@gmail.com” with the subject heading “Amazon-Kindle KICKSTARTER Program!” They follow a couple of different formats:
The first solicitation boils down to a pretty standard re-publication scheme, where the writer’s book is re-published for “free” but they have to pay for the “endorsement” or “certification” or whatever (the writer who received this was self-published with one of the Author Solutions imprints, a favorite target for solicitation scams). The second is a bit more mysterious, but “you will retain complete control over your book’s content and pricing” suggests that it’s the same re-publication scam, just couched in a different (and more grammatical) manner.
Who is the scammer behind these missives? The second one provides a possible clue. The odd “Dear, [author name]” salutation, with its inappropriately placed comma, is characteristic of email solicitations from Page Turner Press & Media, which has been busily impersonating major motion picture companies for the past couple of years. You can see an example of one of these emails toward the bottom of this post. I’ve seen many others.
Regardless, Amazon does not offer a “Best Seller Program” (that’s the province of dodgy PR outfits), and in the extremely unlikely event that KDP ever contacts you out of the blue, you can be sure it won’t be from a gmail address.
A (By No Means Exhaustive) List of Amazon Fakers
UPDATE 12/29/23: I have removed the list of names that used to be here because too many people were assuming that if the Amazon faker they were thinking of using wasn’t on the list, they were okay.
If you’ve used or are thinking of using a company that uses the Amazon name, Amazon trademarks, or versions of these, and are wondering if it’s legit, the information in the first part of this post should help you determine whether it is or not (probably it’s not).
How about the company, BOOK WRITING CUBE. Seems expensive but is it legitimate? Thnx.
No. See my blog post, which will help you identify ghostwriting scams when you encounter them: https://writerbeware.blog/2022/01/24/how-to-spot-a-ghostwriting-scam/
This may be a stupid question. I’m known for asking them. Do you have any advice for someone who has paid a scammer, the scammer has his manuscript and has “created” acceptable cover art, but now the remaining process involves actually publishing the work, i.e., obtaining copyright registration, obtaining ISBN numbers, securing distribution via Amazon, B&N, etc., and actually producing the hardcover, paperback, and ebook editions. All of which has supposedly been paid for.
Seems to me I only have two options: a) tough it out and hope for the best, or b) walk away now (or later) and try to dispute the charges with the credit card company.
But then, is “toughing it out” really an option? In other words, what is the likelihood that I can end up with a satisfactory published product, even though I have grossly overpaid for it?
Man thanks!
*Many* thanks.
The outfit is “amazonpublishingus.com.”
Thx.
I can’t 100% predict what will happen with your situation. What I can tell you is that I’ve gotten multiple complaints from writers who paid ghostwriting scammers like Amazon Publishing US to produce their books and received substandard editing/formatting and/or continual delays on executing services paid for along with unconvincing excuses for why work wasn’t being done. Alternatively, their books did get published, but the scammer then cut off contact, leaving them with no way to access sales or terminate their publishing agreements. I also heard from several writers who were targeted for a book order scam before the book was even published (the scammer claimed that bookstores wanted to order thousands of copies but the writer had to pay for printing and shipping).
Disputing the charges is definitely an option, and I have heard from writers who were able to get some or all of their money back that way. It’s not a guarantee–if at least some services have been rendered (such as the book cover you mention), your credit card company may not agree it’s a scam and may not decide in your favor. Because the scammer is using the Amazon name, I’d suggest that if you do dispute the charges, you mention the fact that Amazon is suing several such companies for infringement and other fraud.
Good luck, whatever you decide. Please come back and update us on what happens!
Thank you, Ms. Strauss. This is most helpful. Especially your reminder that the publishing relationship lasts into the future, even beyond the actual publication date.
I intend to terminate the relationship now rather than suffer the uncertainty and anxiety of trying to ensure that promised services are in fact provided.
BTW, do you have any opinions regarding Barnes and Noble self publishing? It sounds like using them is the only way to get into the B&N distribution channel.
Again, my thanks!
Hi. I’m frustrated because I just got off the phone with what I felt was a fairly knowledgeable guy with an Indian accent who spoke incredibly well and seemed to consider my points and direction for my book. The price for an incredible soup-to-nuts pkg was only $249. Throughout your thread I cannot find word of this particular company BUT their name seems to closely resemble other companies that turned out to be scams. By chance, have you heard of these people? https://amznpublishers.com/
I haven’t heard of them, but they are clearly the type of scam detailed in my post. The very low package price is a teaser to get you in the door, after which you will be subjected to heavy upselling pressure for much larger amounts of money, and may not receive any of the services you paid for.
I think I’m being scammed now, and I’m ending it now. I gave around 9 thousand dollars to a company I found on the Internet. They just keep asking for more money for various things, one after another. They promise branding my name, and even told me I had sold 32 books, but I have never gotten paid for those, and they keep telling me it takes a while it will go directly into your KDP account. Below are some examples of their name
amazonpublishingexpert.com
Regards,
Billing Team
billing@amazonpublishingexpert.com
(650) 276-3890
I’m wondering is anyone knows if they are on the list
Yes, this is a scam of the type discussed in my post. Please do read my post; it provides a number of markers for identifying such scams.
Has anyone heard of USA Publishing House or Amazon Global Publishers?
Hi have you heard of Amazon Premium Publishing or Publishing Mojo?
Both are the type of scam discussed in my post.
Has anyone dealt with a company called “Kindle Direct Publishers? Just had an interview with someone claiming to be Arnold Elrod, a director of the company, hiring editors, proofreaders and data entry people for remote work. Kind of suspect they’re recruiting people to scam others but it may be legit or an outright trick.
The real KDP, owned by Amazon, is Kindle Direct Publishing (-ing- not -ers-). KDP is free, and doesn’t offer editing or proofing services, so the real KDP would have no reason to hire these people; and as far as I can tell based on a websearch, there’s no Arnold Elrod associated with Amazon. I’m guessing this is a scam.
Yeah the fact that they want me to buy a lot of hardware and software to work for them is a bit hinky too… Seemed too good to be true (and either the interviewer was not English-speaking or an AI)…
Did they direct you to a preferred source for purchasing the equipment (probably at some sort of claimed discount)? That’s a different type of scam. Sounds like two scams cross-pollinated here.
They did not attempt the promised second meeting. And never sent the promised “employment contracts” over so either they guessed I was suspicious or someone shut them down already.
I’ve had numerous text messages and reviews from AMZ Marketing Hub. Manchester. Trying to sell their publishing services. The pressure from them is enormous. I’ve checked them out on Gov companies house. No record. I tell them this and they say they are part of Ibiz Consultsncy, I check them out too run by Greek Directors. It all seems too high pressured to be legitimate. Anyone had experience of them? Thank you Victoria for writing this.
Yes but the address they gave me was in Dallas Texas, similar to my phone number, but their address does not exist. They are aggressive and always want to talk on the phone. Sean Miller is the name of the guy who keeps contacting me. I looked them up on Reddit and Quora and was told they are known scams.
I was seconds away from sending money to http://www.primepublishinglabs.com when I thought “hey, I better make sure this is legit before I send the only money I have”. So, I started digging and while you can certainly find positive reviews for them on Trustpilot I am not so sure that these are truthful reviews. They seem too scripted and even use bad English many times. I found this article talking about other similar sites that also use the Amazon name and it really got me spooked. I didn’t see the site I was dealing with directly listed in the article but, someone had commented asking about it. This got me thinking, why not contact Amazon directly and ask if it is legit or not. So, I did. I contacted Amazon and while they could not outright tell me that it was legit, they did give me the link to their 100% legit website. I have to admit that their real website was not one of the first to pop up when I googled publishers. I also want to point out that http://www.primepublishinglabs.com does not pop up as a “sponsored” link which is a red flag as indicated by this article. So, I’m not sure if it really a scam or not but I think I will air on the side of caution and go through a known trusted publishing site. I saw someone mention lulu.com which I will check out and compare with the legit Amazon site.
Victoria,
Thank you for writing this article!
It’s a scam. And Trustpilot is not a good resource for checking legitimacy: it’s stuffed with fake four- and five-star reviews bought on Fiverr and elsewhere.
If you want to self-publish with Amazon, the only place to do that is Kindle Direct Publishing.
My dad appears to have fallen for the Pioneer Book Writers scam. I wasn’t involved and unaware of what was going on until it was much too late. The book was “published” in November but he hasn’t seen any royalties from the book, which is what triggered me to see if this whole thing was ever legit. (It wasn’t.) Since this was months ago I doubt he can dispute all the money that he gave to them at this point, but is there at least a way to get the book taken down from Amazon? It amazes me that the scam website is still up and running, but no one from there will return his calls (obviously).
Hi!
Has anyone worked with Amazon Publishers Online?
Amazon Premium Publisher…scam??
Yes.
Anyone dealt with Ghostwriting Mentors?
What about this company. I was told they’re an imprint for Amazon but I can’t find anything else about them other than this website. https://amazonpublishing.amazon.com
That’s Amazon Publishing, or APub, Amazon’s traditional publishing division. It’s entirely legit, and acquires mainly via reputable literary agents.
Do not deal with Amazon Publishing Pros. These guys are frauds. Plain and simple and should be sued by everyone that has used them. They promised advertising, but simply created a facebook page in my name and posted all advertisements on that single page. The edited my work and began changing words of poetry for “easier reading”‘. NO ONE CAN EDIT A POEM THAT HE/SHE DID NOT WRITE! These clowns messed up my book, made multiple empty promises, charged me over $4,000, and in the end, I have to we-write in a short amount of time for my book to go to book fares. Do not deal with these bozos. You will regret it and in the end, pay lots of money for absolutely nothing in return. All of their promises are misleading lies. Furthermore, they will shower your work as groundbreaking with tons of accolades. This is a ruse, these guys are nothing but con artists and should be arrested for targeting folks.
What about Lulu publishing?
Do you have a specific question about Lulu?
Fuck you Victoria… 🙂
Awww. Does the widdle scammer haz the sads?
Got em! Good job! Your article get helped save Me from a lil outfit called amazonsmartpublishing.com. Thank you! I think I’m going with iUniverse..
Lulu Publishing is real. Make sure you only use Lulu.com. I’ve been with them for years, and they’re fantastic.
I have used LULU too. They are legit and will give you through the process. You can do all of the editing or pay them to do it. They are great for new writers just starting and need assistance.
Thanks for writing about this, and I wish I had seen it sooner! I was searching for a self-publisher in November and looked at the amazonkdppublishers.com website.
I was invited to connect to a chat with one of their staff, who encouraged me to sign up, saying that publishing of my book would cost $962. I signed on and was immediately contacted by a project manager. A few weeks into the project, I was told that the copyright registration fees would cost $3135. At this point I almost quit, but still thought I was dealing with a bona fide Amazon company and didn’t want to start all over with another company, so I paid up. In early December I was excited that my book was going to get published before Christmas, but then I was told I would have to pay $2,821 to print advance inventory of about 100 books. At this point I cancelled publication, I just felt they were crooks. What I did get from them was formatted pages and a book cover design. And a certificate of copyright registration from the Library of Congress just arrived today. My credit card company thought there was enough reason to start a dispute on the $3135, and I have been credited that amount in the meantime, the dispute process takes about 60 days. But kdppublishercom is now talking about suing me for the amount. What a bother!
They won’t sue–they’re just trying to intimidate you. I’m glad you filed the credit card dispute–I’ve heard from a number of authors who’ve been successful in getting their money back that way.
By the way, copyright registration costs just $45 if you do it electronically: https://www.copyright.gov/about/fees.html . Something to share with your credit card company, if it helps.
Ouch, I learned today that my credit card company finished reviewing my dispute and ruled in favor of amazonkdppublishers.com. Oh well, I am glad I initiated the dispute and at least caused a delay in payment. I have since published my book through Bookbaby.com and found them very competent, reliable, and reasonable.
I’m sorry to hear about the dispute denial, Julie. I have heard from many authors who’ve been able to get their money back via disputes, but also from others who, like you, were denied. It’s kind of a tossup. I think the slick websites impart a misleading veneer of legitimacy to such scams, which is easy to take at face value; I also suspect that the scammers have a lot of experience with disputes, and know what to say.
I published a book with “AmazonBookPublishers” (website, currently ‘under maintenance’: http://www.amazonbookpublisher.net/). I was new to publishing, and they initially they seemed like a legit business. They created a book cover and set up my book for publication on Amazon (I paid a fee via credit card but it did not seem unreasonable). Then I was looking into marketing options, and this time they asked for a wire of $2500 for a 3-month campaign (The marketing fee seemed to be average compared to what other book publishers would charge.) I sent them the $2500 last summer, and the marketing campaign, as far as I can tell, has still not yet begun 5 months later. They have not provided a status, and they have continually tried to ‘upsell’ me to participate in additional events and on getting a website running (which, also, as far as I can tell, is not live). A big red flag I should’ve noticed later in the process was that I was speaking on the phone with people who clearly were from overseas but were using American aliases.
Unfortunately, I also provided them with my SSN# when they requested it some months ago. I have *not*, however, seen any evidence yet of my identity being stolen thus far.
Any advice as to what next steps I should take (especially with my SSN#) would be appreciated. I have phone numbers, emails, and bank account #s that they supplied me if I need to go to the authorities. Thank you.
Marius,
Here is the Social Security Office’s resource on scams. Among other things, they recommend notifying the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, to add a fraud alert to your credit report.
Equifax: https://www.equifax.com/
Experian: https://www.experian.com/
TransUnion: https://www.transunion.com/
I think it also would be a good idea to contact your bank, explain the situation, and also ask them to place a fraud alert on your account.
Although I think you’re beyond the window credit card companies usually provide to file a dispute (usually 180 days, as I recall), I’d suggest filing a dispute anyway; credit card companies will sometimes work with you beyond the 180 days if you’ve been scammed.
Thanks for the reply. Yup – one of the first things I did was put a credit freeze on all 3 of the credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). Will contact the bank next. Worst case, the few thousand I lost won’t break me if it’s gone. Thank you again for keeping us all in the loop!
been dealing with http://www.amazonkdppublishers.com for the past 24 hours and I believe I was scammed out of $3600. I fell for the amazon crap and Chris Warner and Jordan Francis were the culprits. I am fighting to get my money back through the CC company but luckily I refused to pay the final installment last night using my bank card. Hope I get my money back
Thanks for commenting, and I hope you do get your money back. Please come back and let us know.
Hello, I sincerely appreciate the informative blog. I was fairly confident I was dealing with a legitimate company in November when I agreed to work with https://www.amzpublishershouse.com. They appeared in my Google search for self-publishing options. I have paid a small amount to them. They have done what they said they would do. They respond promptly. But I am getting the “heebee geebees”. Gut instinct maybe? Request for more money, maybe? I have provided them with $250. Their name is not on your list. There is one similar. I don’t want to give up on them if they are legit. And I don’t mind paying for a service. Is there a way to confirm if they might be one of the good guys? Is there a list of Good Guys??? Thank you very much.
As noted in my post, the _only_ genuine Amazon publishing platform is Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing. Any other “publishing” or “marketing” company using the Amazon name or trademarks–like the one you’re working with–is highly likely to be a scam.
If you’re interested in self-publishing, you can find a full discussion, cautions on what to watch out for, plus links to helpful resources, at Writer Beware’s Self-Publishing page.
Victoria,
I recently think I got scammed by Amazon Direct Publisher. Have you heard anything about this company? They had me pay almost $300 for ‘formatting services’ and wanted another $5000 to market my book. I’ve cut off contact with them but they have a copy of the manuscript and it makes me nervous. Also, I did not sign any contracts with them but I want to know your thoughts.
I have just done the same!! I am afraid they are taking my book and will sell it as their own. What can be done?
DesignUtility amazonkindledpublisher.com. The man who calls me claims to be Dexter Morgan at 213-296-2241. They use Base Camp to communicate. (project.updates@designsutility.com)
You really don’t need to worry about theft or plagiarism if you’re dealing with a scam. These outfits have no interest in your work, only in your money. They are not book publishers.
Thanks for this article ….. I was nearly scammed out of £158 “special 12/12 promotional offer” by https://amzmarketinghub.co.uk/book-publishing
Victoria…Thanks, I needed that. I got scammed by Amazon Digital Pro and I saw their name on your list of shame. If Amazon needs any more testimonials from defrauded people, I would give them as much help as I could. I hope Amazon’s lawyers bankrupts those cheatin’ skunks.
Sorry they got you. I’m going to keep track of the Amazon lawsuit, and will post updates.
I’m so thankful that I happened on your blog this morning. It’s very clear to me now that I was dealing with a scammer and was about to turn over $1,100 dollars this morning during a phone call to initiate the “setup”, as he called it, for my novel.
Everything you mentioned as red flags were employed by the scammer including the “Thanksgiving 40% off” deal.
The pressure started immediately during the “chat”; he wanted my phone number. I gave it to him and said I’d prefer setting up a call through messenger first.
He agreed to call this morning, saying he probably could keep the “Thanksgiving offer” open until today.
I laid in bed last night thinking about a “Thanksgiving offer“?! Seemed odd that I had contacted him on the very last day of savings!
The red flags stopped me, and started me to Google for info. I am thankful, after all, for your commitment to saving aspiring writers from getting scammed. Thank you, Victoria.
I’m so glad you found my blog! Question: did the scammer solicit you, or did you find them via advertising, websearching, etc.? I’m starting to hear about email solicitations from ghostwriting/fake Amazon scammers, which is a new wrinkle.
How much evidence do you need ? Multiple people scammed naming names here.
I got whacked for a 399 ‘package’ from ‘Amazon’ Professional Publishers.’ Promised all sorts of things. Closing in on fourth month of ‘formatting’ my book. (Took less time to write it, )
Not answering my emails now with last round of edits. Some guy with East Indian accent called me (yeh they got my phone number) and gave me the hard sell on a 1500 dollar ‘copyright package.’ I obviously turned them down (rather than double down on stupid). Then they offered the ‘discount’… yours for a grand. When I turned that down they asked “ Well what would you pay ? “ Finally he got the picture and hung up. Now four months later and waiting for them to make good on the initial offer. In the meantime I am pressing on with process myself. I downloaded ‘Atticus’ and are starting from ground zero again to ready for publication. SCAM ! Watch your back my Brothers and Sisters ! It’s not just money they steal from you it’s time.
Do you know anything about Amazon Publishing Labs? I have paid them quite a bit, but don’t see them on the list. And was just
Amazon Publishing Labs looks to me like another scam, like the ones discussed in my post.
Hi, Do you know of any intel on Amazon Publishing Profs? They seem good at what they do, but are questionable to me.
Read my post–it includes a set of markers that should help you identify Amazon Publishing Profs as a scam.
Hi Victoria,
I am glad I found your website. I was seriously considering going with: Amazon Publishers online
They are listed as a questionable company on your website. Do you know anything about them?
Thank you,
Rick Pyburn
If you find a company listed as a scam on a blog devoted to tracking and exposing scams, what is the logical conclusion about that company? (Amazon is now suing a number of these companies: I just updated this post with that information.)
Please help. I think I am getting scammed. I even gave them my manuscript. Paid $400. They want $750 more to get the copyright. What do I do about my manuscript?
When you say you gave them your manuscript, do you mean an electronic copy? Or did you actually send them your only paper copy? You still have your own copy, right?
I am not a lawyer. I am especially not YOUR lawyer. The only legal advice I can offer you is to get a lawyer to look at any contracts you signed.
But while I can’t offer you legal advice, you can ask me: “What would you do if it happened to you, Martin, and
you couldn’t afford a lawyer?”
I’m glad you asked! Here is what I would do if it happened to me and I couldn’t afford a lawyer…
I would send them nothing more. Not one more dime. It doesn’t cost $750 to register for copyright. It’s a LOT less.
I would stop communicating with them. Period. If they sent me any sort of threats of legal action, I would forward those to Writer Beware so she could name and shame. I WOULD NOT COMMUNICATE FURTHER WITH THEM. Every single message from them would be an attempt to badger me into sending them more money.
I would still own my manuscript. It was coprighted to me from the moment I wrote it. I might have been fooled into signing a contract that grants them all rights, but they would be utter idiots to attempt to enforce it. That would open them up to discovery which would reveal all of their shady business practices. They don’t want that.
That’s what I would do. But remember: I can’t offer legal advice.
Hi, Vera,
I too would suggest not giving them any more money. If you paid by credit card, I’d also suggest filing a chargeback dispute to try and get your $400 back.
By law, you have copyright from the moment you write down the words; no payment or action on your part is required. In the USA, you can also register your copyright with the US Copyright Office–which you can do online for less than $50. Registering isn’t required for protection, but does give you the right to sue in court if your copyright is infringed. However, the likelihood of your work being infringed or stolen prior to publication is extremely slim. (For more info on copyright, including debunking several common myths about copyright, see Writer Beware’s Copyright page.)
If you’re worried that whoever is scamming you is going to steal your manuscript, or sell it overseas, or publish it under someone else’s name…don’t be. In 20+ years of tracking scams, I haven’t heard of a single instance where that’s happened. Scammers have no interest in authors’ manuscripts, only in their money.
Does anyone know anything about innovative ghost writers?
Thank you for posting this important and helpful information. My mother had paid a scammer posing as Amazon to publish her book and the pressure to part with her money kept escalating until I overheard her saying no to them and started my own investigation which revealed the fraud. Might I make a suggestion for a future article that focuses on what to do when you realized you’ve paid a scammer and shared your manuscript with them. I’ve been helping her unwind her credit card charges and helping her determine if there are legal recourse to follow. So grateful for your work!
Thank you. Came close to getting scammed for a couple of grand. Thank God I saw this article which mentions specifically the company that I was about to use. The main reason that I considered them was the fact that “Amazon” was part of there name, although they have no affiliation whatsoever with Amazon.
Thanks again.
Thank you sooooo much. I almost bit on Amazon publishing live. My antenna went up at some very small grammar glitches.
I think I got scammed. I went to https://www.amazon-directpublisher.com/
please let me know if that’s a scam. I did give them a credit card and now they’re not answering my emails. I just feel sick. Please give me some advice…
I’m sorry, but looking at the website, it does look like a ghostwriting scam. With the logo and the name, it’s clearly trying to trick people into assuming that it’s the real Amazon KDP, but it’s got nothing to do with Amazon. It’s got other scam markers as well: English-language lapses, false claims (says it’s been in business for 7 years but its web domain is only 71 days old), testimonials with stock photos, and doing business under multiple names (check out the results of a search on a phrase from its About page).
File a chargeback dispute with your credit card company. I often hear from writers who are able to get some or all of their money back that way. Good luck.
Thank you for letting people know these things, Victoria. I can’t believe I was such a fool to do this. I appreciate your help. Wish I’d have seen this a few days ago.
Please don’t be hard on yourself–you’re not alone, and these scams are very devious. It’s a hard lesson but hopefully going forward you’ll be better armed against such schemes.
Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge and information with us, Victoria—and for reminding us to be kind to ourselves!
I got scammed many years ago by a “online business coach” whom I felt didn’t live up to the promises on her shiny marketing page.
These are indeed very devious and I’m a lot more skeptical nowadays before handing over payment info.
Thanks for the kind words. Self-compassion is one of the most difficult things of all, sometimes.
Hello, I am so grateful I found this website. I just got off the phone with someone I believe to be a scammer. This is the website:https://www.amazonkdppublishing.com/. They offered me a 6 months marketing package on Amazon for the meagre sum of $8500. Authors be careful!
Victoria: It is very helpful to know the scammers pretending to be Amazon. I was indeed contacted by Amazon Book Publishers and know they are not affiliated with Amazon. My question to you is do they actually provide any services? My guess is that they make the significant money, not from book formatting, but from selling marketing services, e.g. creating a web site, trailer, social media. Am I on the right track?
You are indeed on the right track. Sometimes they do provide services, but based on reports I’ve received, the results may be substandard, or the author may be strung along with endless delays and personnel switches, or ghosted if they ask too many questions or insist on corrections.
The scammers make money from selling services, of course, but also from aggressive upselling (the scammers regard whatever initial package the author buys as a gateway to their bank account) and from fraud, such as book order schemes or fake movie rights offers.
This comment is a few months old, but I actually began working with Amazon Book Publishers right around the time you made this initial post. Everything you and Victoria outline is pretty much what I’ve experienced (I made a separate post about this). The services are substandard, and they’ve been constantly looking to ‘upsell’ me additional packages. Also the people with this group are from overseas but assume American aliases (big red flag there). Hope you didn’t get entangled with them. Best.
A huge thanks of gratitude to Victoria Strauss for all you do for us authors. Thanks for your time and effort in keeping us informed.
These scammers make my stomach turn. Their reaction to you on this comment thread only shows them for who they really are. What nasty behaviour. It’s unbelievable.
Thank you for the kind words!
I’m new to this group, but I do have a few comments to add about what I believe are unscrupulous publishers. Specifically, what I’m talking about are publishers of short stories (fiction) and nonfiction that shroud themselves with “Journal” or “Review” literary tags. Typically, these are not university magazines but, rather, private/independent online and print journals that are self-described literary magazines. Even a few publications that charge nothing (as opposed to “reading fees” of $3 to $20+) fall into the scammy writer-beware category. Since I’ve been in this business (as an author) for over 25 years, I knoweth from what I sayeth, from personal experience. Here are the worst of the worst: Literally Stories, Lascaux Review, Craft, West Trade (the absolute worst of the lot), Atticus (2nd worst), L’Esprit, Chestnut, and Sunspot(horrible). These publishers have been known to turn down Pulitzer Prize authors, Pulitzer Prize stories, and their own published stories resubmitted under a (fake) pen-named author. That’s correct. I am aware of at least two on this list that turned away the exact same story (under a different title and author) from a few years earlier that they did publish. Basically, what we have is a puppy mill set of publishers that are lying to you. In my opinion, they derive income by charging naive writers “reading fees” with no intent of ever giving the submission a fair shake. I hope this post passes censorship because I’m being as honest as I can be. My suggestion is to simply not submit your prose to the above publishers and save yourself the heartache. Thank you.
Just like a relationship junkie on the rebound, I finally walked away from a publisher who promised that they would always be there for me and promised me the moon and I believed them. There were of course the warning signs – lousy in bed, no way to backup claims of success, always saying everything was going to get better, ,and then the neediness and ceaseless demands for attention and further proofs of my commitment in the form of checks. After another no show I went on one of those on line dating sites and was alarmed and then humiliated to find complete strangers comparing notes on Mr/Ms. Bookster. I was reduced to doing my work on two compromised laptops, using some working keys on one keyboard and working keys and a space bar on another just to have a full alphabet. And then i met the Amazon pros – I had heard about no strings attached relationships and thought I had just survived one, but I now knew the rules and thought I could navigate the treacherous and exciting waters out of a romance fiction. The first sign was that they got passed my bank’s security apparatus by calling sending the charge through before a second or third time before I had gotten off the phone with the bank’s security. But what the hell i thought, there are no rules! A year later and no measurable advancement in our relationship, I found out about the trip to Balearic Islands and the ‘other’ family. I am now working on my own, in candlelight and the filtered dim emission from my laptop. Cheap food from the 24 hour convenience store on the corner has made me flabby and I don’t even think I look or sound good. I found the rules for making cover art on Amazon Kindle so confusing I gave the pros a call. Don’t they owe me even that? Publishing for Dummies? Who knows. Maybe I will give it a try.
One tip about the “Amazon publishing___” scams is at that address listed on the web pages are all fake. Amazon Publishing Agency and Amazon Global Publishing. both list a Wyoming addresses, a house and an abandoned building. Another lists a non-existent New York address on flatbush Avenue, and a fourth lists a Virginia address which is registered to a completely different business.
Google maps street view is easy to use. Also, property tax records and business records are all public and in online searchable databases in the United States. Dont doxx anyone!
But given an address, you should be able to go to the state (Virginia, New York, Wyoming, etc. ) and find the business registered to that address. And also who’s paying property taxes at that address.
I guarantee you Amazon global publishing won’t be operating out of a random house in Sheridan Wyoming.
I’ve tried to report as many of these as I can on trust pilot. But they’ve gotten smart about it. They’ll report a review And try to get it taken down.
Also I strongly advise people if possible: Use a major credit card to pay. If something goes wrong you can dispute it. And while you won’t get your time and hassle back, There’s a good chance you’ll get your money back. Don’t give them your bank account information, your debit card, venmo, etc.
Explain this, Victoria. This is the link, https://writerbeware.blog/2019/08/16/from-the-philippines-not-with-love-a-plague-of-publishing-marketing-and-fake-literary-agency-scams/
Steve Neylan says:
March 6, 2023 at 7:19 pm
Compound Media company says, they got my information from SFWA. Either they are lying, but how could they have my email? Did you sell my information to them or anyone from your company in cahoots with them? I don’t mind getting emails from compound media but I didn’t sign up with them and it’s only you who got my email. I have a feeling someone from your company is selling out our information.
Reply
Victoria Strauss says:
March 6, 2023 at 8:59 pm
Since you’re not a SFWA member (SFWA members are the only ones who’ve gotten the Compound Media spam), and you don’t subscribe to this blog (I checked), and this is the FIRST time you’ve ever left a comment here (i.e., it’s the first time I’ve ever seen your email address), I have a feeling you’re fibbing, “Steve”. Plus, no one who has read down this far will have the faintest idea what you’re talking about. Nice troll, though (and thanks for confirming you’re a fan of my Twitter feed).
Reply
Steve Neylan says:
March 6, 2023 at 9:22 pm
Please don’t bite me Victoria. You’re quick to jump the gun. I was only asking and I am a member, but confidence is not that high anymore. I can show SFWA credit charges, if called upon. This is not the first time it happened, I have these scumbags tailing me after sharing my info here. Now, it’s the compound media corp. Don’t infantantize anyone who questions you. Why not ask me for their explanation? Is it an admission of your guilt or ignorance?
Reply
Victoria Strauss says:
March 7, 2023 at 3:37 pm
Hi Steve. SFWA’s Executive Director confirmed that you’re not in the membership directory. This is clearly a terrible oversight, and I’m eager to put it right. So please do forward those SFWA credit charges! I will pass them on right away so you can claim your rightful place as a fully paid-up SFWA member.
Seriously, dude. You and your scammer buddies are just sad with this shit.
Reply
Steve Neylan says:
March 7, 2023 at 5:24 pm
How on earth did you arrive at the conclusion that I am not a member? Just because you’re unfamiliar with my email, you’d say, ‘oh, you’re not a member.’ Taking the easy way out? Take the high road and admit your mistake! Integrity is easy to preach. Act what you’re preaching. You could have asked for my wife’s books, her name, our membership details, the email we used, etc. But instead, you rant. Is that your way of handling things? You even have the gall to switch to the offensive. Are you not interested in knowing what Compound media has to say? When my wife mentioned how much she spent on her book here on your show, your cohorts went ballistic and called us night and day. My wife only used that email here! Can you explain that? What a shame, Vic! Do you still have your faculties straight and sane, Vic?
Yes, I’ll do that exactly and you return the fees!
This doesn’t really showcase anything besides the fact you know where your ctrl+c & ctrl+v keys are. It looks like a splitting hairs/red herring kind of thing that Steve (who is probably you, for all we know) is trying to do. No actual “gotcha” here. Butthurt behavior from Steve, oh absolutely, but nothing really jaw-dropping
Jojoba, another Victoria’s minion.
Well, “Bob,” are you going to accuse everyone who actually reads the messages above, comes to the conclusion that Victoria actually investigated but that investigation confirmed not “Steve”‘s story but her suspicions (see March 7, 2023 message at 3:37pm), and notes that your e-mail points back at one of the scam operations specifically cited in the post from which you selectively quoted, of being Victoria’s “minion”?
Really?
For those who are familiar at all with Brandolini’s Law, “Bob”‘s selective quotation and screed should seem like an excellent, intentionally asymmetric example.
I write to bring to your attention certain concerns that have come to our knowledge regarding the business practices of Ms. Victoria Straus.
It has been observed that Ms. Straus exhibits a vigilant approach, whereby she appears to engage in activities aimed at undermining other companies within the industry. These actions seem to be motivated by her desire to promote and sell her own services exclusively.
We felt it necessary to inform you about these observations, as they may have implications for our professional interactions with Ms. Straus going forward.
Oh, wow! A vanity press troll threatens Writer Beware! This is going to be fun!
Her “undermining” this section of the “industry” is a exactly what needs to be happening. Your objections tell me everything I need to know about you. Predators abound around new authors—and bright lights on the “publishers” and unethical behavior as they scurry about are cleansing. I appreciate the work being done here.
Ms. Cadell, your website features multiple grammar and syntax errors on the front page. Why in the great Gutenberg’s name would I trust you with my manuscript?
As to your comment, most of us believe vigilance to be a good thing. Perhaps you meant “a vigilante approach?”
I wanted to take a moment to emphasize an important aspect of the writing journey that often goes overlooked.
It is crucial to recognize and embrace the fact that every author’s path towards success is unique. What may constitute success for one individual may not necessarily align with another’s aspirations, and vice versa. Each writer has their own distinct goals, visions, and definition of what accomplishment means to them.
In this complex landscape of literature, it is essential that we avoid comparing our achievements or measuring our progress against those of others. Instead, let us celebrate the diversity within our community and appreciate the diverse forms success can take.
Remember, your journey holds its own significance and purpose. Focus on nurturing your craft, pursuing your personal milestones, and staying true to your authentic voice. By doing so, you will find fulfillment in achieving what truly matters most to you as an author.
Wishing you continued inspiration and growth on your unique path towards literary success.
Your ability to to bullsh!t is quite a sight to behold. A simple answer would have done perfectly fine here but nope, you decided to answer like a Sphinx.
Just say “I don’t know, I just wanted to rip people off and thought this was a sure bet” and be done with it
Your resemblance to your mother, Victoria, is quite striking. Best of luck with the payments for those monthly subscriptions that you owe her. haha
“Georgia” (probably an alias to make her seem American) works for Authorunit, one of the companies on my overseas scams list. If you hover your mouse over her name, you can see the link. I’ve seen multiple Authorunit solicitations of varying deceptiveness, some of which were sent by Georgia herself. Another Authorunit “Account Specialist” falsely offered a meeting with a well-known agent, in order to incentivize an author to pay thousands of dollars for a screenplay.
No wonder Georgia wants you all to believe that I’m the scammer. (P.S.: I don’t sell any services, exclusively or otherwise. Writer Beware is an all-volunteer effort, and 100% free always.)
They charge $999 for their base package. That’s for posting your content to Amazon, a process you can do in an hour or so. That’s chutzpah!
Victoria, it would be appreciated if you could provide evidence to support your accusations. It is interesting that despite having a considerable following and receiving praise for your claims, you are unable to present any substantiating proof.
Georgia, have a look at my many posts under the Impersonation tag. They offer many examples of “substantiating proof”, and a glimpse of the kind of documentation that backs up all my “claims”. (Yes, I know Georgia is trolling. This is just a FYI for anyone else reading.)
Please provide evidence to support your claims. Consider creating a blog where you can present documented proof that substantiates the existence of these scam lists and verifies their accuracy according to your assertions.
Scram, Georgia. Get a regular job.
This is remarkably funny, seeing a scammer pretend to be hurt and also pretend to be part of the publishing industry instead of the scamming industry
That’s what your momma said, Jojoba
George, at least learn how to insult correctly. Besides, I thought as a “industry professional”, you would know how to talk, y’know, professionally? And not like a scammer desperate to say something back because their feelings got hurt after being outed as, welp, a scammer.
Again, get a real job.
And yes, my mother *would* want you to scram and get a real job. You would not be too far off the mark (if you had a better handle on English, I guess you would have said something more scathing instead? Lol.)
Hello Victoria, I have been trying to get a book published with the Amazon publishing company which based on your article is a scam. What recourse do I have? Should I contact the corporate headquarters legal department to advise? Do I get a lawyer? So upset as the book is a holocaust memoire. Please advise.
What is the exact name of the company you’re using? Have you paid them anything? Have they actually published the book?
Thank you for all you do, Victoria. This is a great list to help make more writers aware, and I think it’s important to share this. I know about the website spoofing (is that the correct term?) with big companies, but hadn’t realized that it was happening for writers with KDP too. Again, thanks for shining a light on this.
As a freelance editor, I am often asked to recommend legitimate small presses or services for DIY publishing to clients, and in both cases have had the client come back excited to show me the offer to publish or contract for services and I have to ask them, “Why are you dealing with these crooks rather than the publisher/service I recommended?” In every case, they googled the name I suggested, but what popped up on Google was a sponsored ad for the crook, and they just clicked the first link with which Google presented them, apparently not noticing the name was different. I blame Google for putting illegitimate ads before the thing actually googled, but buyer beware I guess. Authors need to pay attention and do due diligence. (Showing your editor your contract before you sign it is likely a step in the right direction.)
Agreed–both as to due diligence and the passive predation of Google. I too often hear from writers who’ve gotten into trouble by clicking on sponsored links.
Adblockers help reduce that because then the sponsored links disappear
As a self publishing service professional I am happy to see information like this for uninformed writers. I used to distribute and publish books via my imprint Australian eBook Publisher, but I am no longer offering any new publishing or distribution contracts. The reason for this is because I feel it’s better for independent authors to go directly to platforms, such as Amazon and IngramSpark. Thank you for your research into the latest Amazon scams.
You also need to watch out for marketers who contact you wish to market your book and then if you don’t they use fake Goodreads accounts on the ABC Bookclub to give you bad reviews.
I wrote about a similar Goodreads extortion scam a while back. Goodreads has become a toxic pit.
Thank you, Victoria, for this excellent reveal for those of us who’re self-publishing and relatively new to the process. Much appreciated.
This is why I no longer use Amazon. Yes, Amazon carries by books but they have to purchase them from Ingram to do so. Since Ingram is the world’s largest book distributor, I feel pretty safe.
This isn’t about Amazon, it’s about scammers pretending to be Amazon. They probably pretend to be Ingram, too.
Actually they don’t–or at least, not enough to show up in multiple web searches. I checked.