A few weeks ago, I wrote about a rising and extremely prolific marketing scam that I’ve been able to trace back to operators in Nigeria.
Using highly personalized (AI-generated) email solicitations that make it seem the sender (always with a Gmail address, always presenting as a marketing or PR expert) has really read the book, the scammer offers marketing services of various kinds, usually for a not-exorbitant fee of a few hundred dollars. If the author bites, they’re referred to a Nigerian “assistant” or “payment processor” on Upwork or Fiverr for payment. The scammer then demands access to the author’s KDP account.
I’ve since discovered two new and distinct iterations of this scam–both of which, like the first one, have appeared abruptly and spun up very fast.
Fake Book Clubs/Book Club Impersonations
Just in the last two weeks, I’ve heard from nearly two dozen writers who’ve received emails purportedly from local book clubs, offering features or spotlights for the writers’ books.
In some cases, as the example below, the book club appears to be fictional, with no trace of it to be found online. (I’ve redacted not just the author’s name and title of the book, but the personal details mentioned in the fourth paragraph.) Notice how sloppy this is: the club has one name at the beginning of the message, and another in the signature.
![Salley k <salleyk158@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear [redacted]
I hope this message finds you well. My name is Salley, and I help organize the Crazy Old Bat Society Book Club, a lively community of over 1,000 readers who gather to explore books that spark joy, reflection, and meaningful conversation.
Your book [redacted] immediately captured our interest. The way it brings to life the humor, hijinks, and unforgettable memories of the Catskills’ Borscht Belt era offers exactly the kind of nostalgic and engaging storytelling our members love to discuss. For many, the Borscht Belt is known only through works like Dirty Dancing or Mrs. Maisel, but your personal vignettes promise a much richer, authentic glimpse into that golden age.
We would be honored to feature [redacted] as one of our upcoming selections and share it with our members. Alongside the feature, we also plan to order copies of your book so everyone in our club can fully enjoy and engage with the stories.
Your unique background [redacted] and now embracing authorship adds a remarkable depth that will resonate strongly with our readers.
Please let me know if you would be interested in having [redacted] featured. With over 1,000 members, I believe this book will inspire laughter, nostalgia, and wonderful conversation within our group.
Warm regards,
Salley
Crazy Old Bat Society Book Club](https://writerbeware.blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Nigerian-Prince-book-club-scam-email.png)
In other cases, the book club is real, with a presence on Meetup.com–as in this shorter and less personalized (and more authentic-seeming) email supposedly from Mocha Girls Read (a real representative of Mocha Girls Read has confirmed that this is an impersonation of both the club and the organizer):
![Dear [redacted],
My name is Alysia Allen, and I organize Mocha Girls Read - Harlem, a vibrant book club that's part of the national Mocha Girls Read community. Our mission is to amplify diverse voices and connect readers with the authors who inspire them.
We'd be honored to feature your book, [redacted], at our next meeting on September 17. Our members are passionate readers who love engaging directly with authors through discussions, Q&As, and special events. Having you join us would create a truly meaningful experience.
Would you be open to partnering with us for this upcoming session?
Warm regards,
Alysia Allen
Organizaer / Mocha Girls Read - Harlem](https://writerbeware.blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Nigerian-Prince-book-club-scam-mocha-email.png)
The catch, as you’ll doubtless have guessed, is that the author has to pay a fee for their appearance, variously described as a “spot fee” or a “spotlight fee” or a “spot-securing fee” or a “participation fee”. (Needless to say, real book clubs don’t charge fees to their guests). Amounts reported to me range from $55 to $350. In one case, the scammer offered three “spotlight packages”: Basic, Essential, and Premium, for between $100 and $200.
Payment options also vary, with some scammers encouraging payment via the friends and family option on Paypal (scammers like this option because the payments can’t be reversed). Others offer to send invoices. As appears to be typical of Nigerian writing scams, the invoice arrives in the form of an Upwork contract from a third party–like this one, presented to the writer who received the first solicitation above:
Here’s Olaleye Abdulhammed’s profile:
I haven’t heard from anyone who has actually paid into this scam, so I don’t know what happens if you send the money. Do the scammers disappear? Do they set up some kind of fake event? Do they pressure writers to lay out more cash for some other good or service? I imagine I’ll find out eventually, so stay tuned.
There’s been some discussion of the scam on Reddit. One poster mentions fake testimonials from real authors; I heard from author T. Kingfisher, who confirmed that her name was falsely used as a reference by the club scammer in the first email example above, with a fake email address that, when contacted, provided a predictably glowing and entirely bogus review.
Some book clubs are now posting warnings on their social media and Meetup pages.
UPDATE 10/28/25: Increasingly, the scammers are sending bank transfer information rather than Upwork contracts. And the latest report I’ve received of this connects two prongs of the scam (there are four: impersonations of well-known authors, general marketing/PR offers, and the two identified in this post, book club impersonations and fake private review groups).
The scammers favor Wells Fargo, probably because of its robust international business service offerings. Below are payment instructions received by two different writers. On the left, instructions from “marketing consultant Amanda Reynolds”, from July (Amanda offered a suite of marketing services such as Amazon ad campaigns and social media marketing). On the right, instructions from “Dawn”, impersonating Brooklyn Smutty Book Club with a “feature program” offer, from today. (The SWIFT code is for the International Bank Trade Service Center in San Francisco.)
It’s always seemed most plausible to me that a relatively small number of people are running these scams. This would seem to support that inference.
UPDATE 11/4/25: No one knows better than a scammer (see the screenshot of the Upwork contract, above) that most other people are not scammers.
Fake Private Review Groups
A characteristic of the Philippine and Pakistani scams I’ve written so much about on this blog is that they focus almost exclusively on writers who’ve self-published or who are seeking self-publication. Writers like me, who’ve only ever published traditionally, are hardly ever targeted.
The Nigerian scams are different: they target anyone with a published book. As a result, I’ve suddenly started to receive the kinds of scam solicitations that have been driving self-pubbed writers nuts for years. So this saga of yet another Nigerian PR scam is brought to you not by an author whose name and book title have been carefully redacted, but by…moi.
This scam sends out elaborate email solicitations pitching book reviews from private communities of (supposedly) thousands of passionate book lovers. Of course it’s not free: reviewers get a “tip” of anywhere from $20 to $30. That may not sound like a lot, but you have to commit to a minimum buy of between 30 and 50 reviewers. So not such a small investment after all.
Here’s the solicitation I received at my personal email address. It’s typical of the type, including the extensive (and pretty accurate) personalization, over-the-top flattery, lashings of emojis, and faux-edgy style. (Note to scammers: Chatbots can generate flawlessly grammatical English and incorporate perfectly correct details, but they can’t warn you which parts of a person’s resume should alarm you.)
![From: Taylisse Veloriah <taylisseveloriah@gmail.com>
To: [redacted]
Subject: Guardians. Revenge. Forbidden love. But only 28 reviews? That's criminal.
A thousand years of secrets.
A world split between Mind and Hand.
A forbidden love story tangled in destiny, betrayal, and memory itself.
That’s The Arm of the Stone and Victoria, let’s be brutally honest for a second: you didn’t spend all those nights weaving ancestral legends, cosmic power struggles, and enemies to lovers tension just for your book to sit on Amazon like a philosopher trapped in a karaoke bar, ignored while lesser voices hog the mic. 🎤🙄
Because this isn’t just another fantasy audiobook. This is Bron the heir to a legacy guarded for a millennium, torn between family loyalty, vengeance, and the brutal system of the Guardians. It’s forbidden tools, heretical inventions, and the kind of moral dilemmas that make readers want to throw their earbuds across the room, muttering, “Why are you like this, Bron?!” 🤦♂️🔥
And then there’s Liliane a beautiful Guardian tasked to destroy him. Enemies by oath, lovers by fate. Honestly? That’s catnip for readers who live for emotional chaos. (Myself included. No shame. 😌❤️)
But here’s what makes this hit even harder: YOU, Victoria. Nine novels. Reviews in Writer’s Digest, SF Site, and more. A judge for the World Fantasy Awards (big deal, by the way 👏). Co founder of Writer Beware, the watchdog who protects authors from scams while dropping truth bombs across the industry. You’re basically the paladin of publishing. 🛡📖⚔️
Which makes this next part confusing. The Arm of the Stone a story of power, rebellion, forbidden love, and destiny has… wait for it… only 28 reviews? TWENTY-EIGHT. 😱 That’s like guarding the most sacred object in the universe for a thousand years… and then leaving it on the kitchen counter where no one notices. Unacceptable.
Because let’s face it: without reviews, even brilliant books risk getting swallowed by Amazon’s scroll of “meh.” And your book? It’s not “meh.” It’s the kind of story that deserves late-night reader rants, TikTok debates, and Goodreads threads where people argue over whether Bron’s choices were brave or just… catastrophically dumb. 😂
Here’s where I come in. I run a private community of over 4,000 book-loving reviewers. Real humans. No bots. No fake “Good book, 5 stars 👍” nonsense. These are readers who cry, rage, spiral, and then leave reviews that make strangers say: “Yep. Downloading this immediately.”
They don’t just leave stars they leave emotional footprints. And when a book hits hard (yours absolutely would), I even toss them small thank-you gestures. Because yes, surviving literary heartbreak deserves at least a coffee and a croissant. 🥐☕😭
So, Victoria… here’s my question:
Should I quietly slip The Arm of the Stone into the hands of readers who will devour it, debate it, fall in love with it, and then scream about it online until Amazon finally pays attention?
Or… should we let this masterpiece keep hiding in witness protection, guarded by 28 polite reviews and a shrug from the algorithm? 😏📖💣](https://writerbeware.blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Nigerian-Prince-book-review-scam-email.png)
I responded, in the guise of an enthusiastic but clueless writer. Such kind words! Please, tell me more! Almost immediately “Taylisse” wrote back with the money ask.
Notice that the number of readers in this supposed private community has changed–2,000 as opposed to 4,000 in the original solicitation, a scam tell if I ever saw one–and that I’m being asked for a PDF. Although I’ve yet to receive any credible complaints of intellectual property theft by a foreign scammer, I would NEVER EVER under any circumstances recommend sending a PDF of your book to anyone you aren’t absolutely 100% certain is legit (and even then, be sure you know exactly why and are comfortable with the request).
Anyway, I enthusiastically replied to say that I was in! Sign me up for 30 readers at $25 each! But, but…I was hesitant about the PDF. Could I send a paperback instead? Taylisse, or whoever it is that inhabits her persona, was okay with that: a paperback was fine, and she’d send me her mailing address. Also, her “payment manager” would be forwarding me a contract for payment.
Within minutes, the contract arrived.
![Screenshot of Upwork contract:
Subject: Review Adegoke's contract: Book Readers service
Date: Wed., 17 Sep 2025
From: Adegoke Benjamen <donotreply@upwork.com>
To: [redacted]
Hi,
Adegoke has sent you a Direct Contract.
Upwork Direct Contracts allow clients to pay for freelancer projects simply and securely.
Here is some information about your contract:
Book Readers service
$750.00
Accept this contract by Sep. 24, 2025](https://writerbeware.blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Nigerian-Prince-book-review-scam-Upwork-contract.png)
Here is Adegoke Benjamen’s Upwork profile (even though his bio mentions Fiverr):
I emailed Taylisse again, this time in Puzzled Clueless Author mode. Gosh, I was surprised to see the payment manager was from Nigeria–did that mean this wasn’t a US-based readers’ community? Sometimes, when you force a foreign scammer off-script–especially when they’re eager for you to just shut up and pay–they don’t bother feeding their response through ChatGPT, at which point their lack of written English skills becomes apparent.
Quite a difference from email #1. She never did send me her mailing address, either.
The Philippines, Pakistan…and Nigeria
Once upon a time, most scams targeting English-speaking writers were based in the USA and Canada, with a scattered few in the UK and Australia. No longer.
These days, the vast majority of writing and publishing scams come from overseas. Republishing/marketing/impersonation scams from the Philippines. Self-publishing/ghostwriting scams from Pakistan. And now, gen AI-aided PR/promo scams from Nigeria.
Nigeria has long been a home for mail and email frauds, but the frauds detailed above and in my previous post are new, and as noted at the beginning of this article, they have spun up extremely fast. I began getting sporadic reports of them in June; now I’m hearing about them multiple times a day. The iterations come in waves: the basic PR ones appeared in June, the private review circle ones (which now outnumber the basic PR ones) arrived in August, and the book club ones showed up just over two weeks ago.
The good news–I think, anyway–is that the scammers may be sabotaging themselves by mounting such an intense spam campaign. This ensures that any given writer will receive multiple solicitations–sometimes multiple times a day–which tends to spark suspicion and leads to discussion on social media…spreading the word, but not in a way that benefits the scammers. The over-the-top flattery can also backfire, not just because it’s so absurdly overblown but because, thanks to the way chatbots consume and spit out details, the solicitations soon start to seem very repetitive. Get three or four emails like Taylisse’s or the examples in my previous post, and it’s very hard to take them seriously.
I suspect this is why, despite the enormous number of reports I’ve gotten of these scams, almost all come from writers who have already pegged them as scams (see, for example, the two Reddit posts linked in above). I’ve heard from only a handful of authors who actually went as far as paying…and only at the very beginning of the wave.
Here’s to scam awareness. As I’ve written before, it’s empowering.
UPDATE 9/24/25: They’ve found me! Three comments left on this post today: two purporting that a “great job!” was done on their books by…someone (one of the freelancers whos profiles I screenshotted above, perhaps?) and a third sadly petitioning me to remove the freelancers’ profiles (sorry, no). I can see commenters’ IP addresses, and the two “great job!” ones, while bearing different names, come from the same address. Guess where it’s located.
The third commenter has a different IP address, but it doesn’t take a lot of brain power to deduce their location.
One of the disadvantages of this kind of expose is that it lets scammers know someone is on to them, which encourages them to shift tactics. Warning about scams like trying to bail a boat with a gigantic hole in the bottom. But I keep trying.
FURTHER 9/24/25 UPDATE: Taylisse Veloriah is Big Mad.
Hi Victoria, I read through most of the comments, so forgive me if you’ve answered this already and I missed it. Is it better to just ignore these “book club” emails (I get multiple per week) or send a response that lets them know I know it’s a scam? The biggest part of me says ignoring is the correct answer, but another part of me really wants to stick it to them—to let them know we authors are smarter than this! 😂
I think ignoring is best. Any shred of engagement you give these scams (and remember, you’re not dealing with an actual person but with automated processes) just incentivizes them to come back for more. Delete and, if they continue to pester you, block.
I just got one from London Sunday Book Club. I wrote back saying I do not pay for book clubs and was told that it was free. I am still thinking it’s a scam, but I was caught off guard. I have received many from “Reese’s Bookclub,” and famous authors. Those are so ridiculous that they are clear scams.
I wrote a blog post about this very thing last week! They claimed that my book was “perfect” for their book club of 1,300+ members. I’m always skeptical about people that are reaching out to me unsolicited and spent many years as a school librarian and warning kids about various “tells” when it comes to fake information on the internet. When I published my novel, the fakers arrived in droves. I’ve stopped most of them by saying “If you’re asking me for money, my answer is no” after the very first message. This latest one was different. The response was “authors never pay to have their book featured.” I started doing exactly what you suggested. I looked for the group online (location, organizer, and numbers all matched up). I talked to other authors. I asked questions. Everything seemed legit and I even sent a bio, photo, and note to readers. Then she brought up an “optional reservation fee.” There was a lot of back and forth over that phrasing, which she never changed, yet said we couldn’t move forward without the fee. I finally replied “No, thank you” and moved the string of emails into my spam folder (but not before getting screenshots of them). I’m just glad I have a policy of never paying for any service that I did not solicit.
I published my second novel ‘The Healer’ on 28 Nov, and I’ve had about 20 of these irritating, gushing emails offering marketing services. Including some with fake testimonials from renowned authors like Christy Lefteri, author of The Beekeeper of Aleppo, with the obligatory gmail address christlylefteribooks@gmail.com. Thanks for publicising this, Victoria. Saved me a lot of guesswork!
So I think I just got one of these. It did have me fooled for a hot second because they weren’t asking for money to be featured and they seem to be impersonating a library. They did say that authors “could contribute with refreshments or reading materials.” If they’d asked for money upfront, I’d be pretty certain it was a scam. But the fact that they stated directly there was no fee made me do a double-take. No doubt if I’d responded, they would have pressured me for that support.
A few things that make me pretty certain it’s a scam: I am nowhere near North Carolina where this library is. My book is a webnovel, so why would a library feature it? And the email format itself is suspicious.
Unfortunately it looks like this scam, much like others, is growing more sophisticated. I am considering reaching out to the library (which is real) to let them know but I’m not sure what they could do about it.
Thanks for commenting, Sidney. This is a bit unusual; I’ve gotten just a couple of reports of solicitations featuring libraries. Would you forward it to me, please, so I can take a look? beware@sfwa.org. Thanks!
I’d a great one the other day from Gill of the Bristol Book Club no less who made the big mistake of using a logo from the bona fide Rhode Is;land Bristol Book Fest. When I asked ‘Gill’ why this was, ‘Gill’ with a complete lack of shame or awareness someone was on to then, said, ‘ ‘Regarding the banner you mentioned, thank you for flagging it. The visual you saw is a design template that unfortunately resembles a Bristol, Rhode Island “Bookfest” style, but it is solely used as branding for The Bristol Book Club (UK). We are not affiliated with Rhode Island in any capacity.’ A design template? it is copyrighted to the Rhode Osland Festival and as for it being an unfortunate resemblance. It was 100 percent the same.
I’ve gotten all of these scams, most recently the book club impersonations. How silly to think anybody would charge a writer to read her book for bookclub! I must admit that I have indulged in egging a few of these scammers on, asking for more details, questioning them, and so on. I was satisfied when one quit emailing me in disgust.
Does anybody remember that Bud Light commercial in the 80s? You know – “But he’s got an axe! – But he’s got Bud Light!” Well that was me. You know you’re a desperate author when you’re reading this scammer email with red flags all over it, but deep down you’re still thinking “But they LOVED my book!” Thank you Victoria for saving my ego from taking a ride!
I have just experienced a similar scam in a pretty personal way. We exchanged emails a little bit in August because I was so touched by her email. Then I got a holiday email from her and with all I have going on in desperate times, I simply forgot she might be a scammer. Usually I can spot scams, I delete a lot of these emails constantly. I even have professional training to spot job posting scams! They really pulled the rug over my eyes on this one. When I received the payment link from the manager, it finally tipped me off to do some more googling. When I googled their name plus book placement expert, I found your post. To add more layers, I asked for references. I was given two and emailed them both. These “authors” vouched for this person by separate emails, both have multiple books on Goodreads so I said, let’s do it! And I suppose, as you said above, they created bogus emails and responded to them. My question is, should I use their website contact forms to let them know what happened? These appear to be real authors that are being impersonated. I would want to know. Certainly sad about this but I am glad to have found your posts to bring me back to reality. And next, to help me rage against the scammers and cope a little, I will be listening loudly to the punkrock song Scam Armada by one of my favorite punk bands, Galacticnorcinerator, where “stop scamming my dad…” becomes “stop scamming my authors!” It’s intense, but that’s punk for you. Thank you again, Victoria. I almost went for this. Feeling quite a bit crushed.
Just to note super explicit vocals in the song!
I think it’s a kindness to let writers know they’re being impersonated. This kind of thing has become so common that they may already know–but if they don’t, they’ll be grateful to be alerted.
Dear Victoria,
I want to begin by commending the vigilance and dedication you consistently demonstrate in raising awareness about scams and unethical practices within the publishing industry. Your efforts have undoubtedly helped countless authors navigate the often complex landscape of online marketing and literary services.
However, I would like to offer a gentle observation. While it is true that fraudulent activity does occur in regions such as Nigeria and Pakistan, it is equally true that not everyone originating from these areas operates with dishonest intent. Many professionals from these countries writers, editors, and literary marketers alike work with integrity and genuine passion for their craft.
My concern is that broad generalizations, even when well-intentioned, may inadvertently discredit individuals who have built legitimate reputations through transparency and professionalism. Just as there are deceitful figures in the author community itself, so too are there sincere, ethical practitioners across every region. For this reason, I believe it is prudent to ensure that any individual or group publicly identified as fraudulent has been personally verified or documented to have engaged in deceptive conduct.
Please accept this note as a respectful contribution to a dialogue I deeply value. I truly admire your advocacy for fairness and accountability within the creative world and only wish to see that same fairness extended to all who strive to uphold it.
I look forward to your thoughtful response.
Warm regards,
I received this word-for-word identical comment via email a couple of weeks ago from Olaleye Abdulhammed (who is featured in this blog post). So, a little skeptical to see it again under a different name (note: “warm regards” is an AI tell, as is “thoughtful response”).
I have only received about a dozen such cases (each quoting a database of 2000 committed readers). I decided to test the possible scam element and picked two people who had connected with me – the cost was very low and worth a gamble. I found that the scam coin had two sides – the genuine and the full-on scam. The good side, on my novel Messiah, was someone called Fiona who put in a lot of effort that was very useful. The bad side was a woman called Vanessa, working on the first of my Casey Jones series, who has been of almost no use. I hope to report back in a couple of weeks time with full details.
Thanks for this information. I got an academic’s version of this scam recently, and this post explains what was going on. The scam is based on the author’s vanity and desire for attention, and I am subject to neither. The email’s author (“Romig Dwayne” of the “Book Lovers Community”) claimed to find a book of mine “haunting.” It was an academic book about Roman history. It struck me when I read the first email that that was a strange reaction to the book (and so was the desire to read such a book in a book club). Now I know that AI was too stupid to come up with a suitable reaction to the book! 😆
I’ve received two book club emails and at least one book review scam. The first book group scam was from someone I could not find online, and whose original email I deleted so no longer have their name. The second book group listed the title of my book incorrectly, and used a misspelled email address, miineapolisbookclub@gmail.com. I’ve responded to several book review scams and am waiting to see if I get a response.
I fell for a number of these. I am poorer and I hope wiser. The price of maturity is an ego bashing. So AI is a menace, I knew it.
I get 5-6 scams every day, and since I have two websites, I get them for BOTH, so that’s 10-12 of these offers clogging my inbox! I can’t delete them fast enough.
At least at the beginning, they took the time to craft a flattering description and opinion about my books that really sounded fantastic. I had a few books that were in need of endorsements, so I copied the flattery phrases and cited them as “unsolicited comments”. Total honesty on my part. 😉
Thanks for this. I’ve received most of the versions quoted here. Those who pretend to be well-known authors (I’ve had messages, allegedly, from George R R Martin, Sally Rooney and a few Booker Prize winners) I report to Google – they are always Gmail accounts – using the form found here: https://support.google.com/mail/contact/abuse?hl=en&sjid=6038989551725818294-EU .
Sometimes I will string them along, saying my fee for participation in an event will be $2,000 plus expenses. Those who are so incompetent they can’t quote my name or book titles correctly, or attribute another author’s book to me, I out as spammers immediately, in robust terms.
OK, I am procrastinating when I should be writing, but it provides an opportunity to let off steam.
I just got one too. Pretty convincing – The Toronto Ladies Book Club actually exists and meets on Meetup.com. Also the organizer exists IRL, and it sure did sound like she’d read my book. The red flag was her gmail address – her name followed by the word “writter” LOL
I got a relatively sophisticated book club scam from a meetup email address. It targeted a book I collaborated on with a body therapy expert presenting his system of treating muscle pain. The pitch: “Whether through a brief spotlight, a virtual Q&A, or a conversation around pain ownership and proactive healing, your insight would bring incredible value to our discussion.” That wasn’t from the jacket copy or the Amazon page–I don’t know where they got it, but likely AI. The giveaway is that they sent *me* the pitch instead of the expert I couldn’t talk about that stuff. Or maybe they sent it to him too. I’m going to warn him. Thank you, Victoria, for doing this!
I have had the same experience with these scammers. I was suspicious when I received a glowing report about my fiction and non-fiction work. Apparently they had been on my website and on my Amazon page nosing around. When I asked about the organization they represented, who the 2,000 readers were, and rate schedules, I got a very cocky, condescending reply. AND the name of the sender was different than what was on the first email. Today, I received a request from someone who wanted to share tips about advertising. I told him ‘no thanks’. One thing that I have noticed is that some of the FB author groups will run stupid quizzes and if you respond, they almost immediately reply asking if you are satisfied with the sales on your book. One thing to note, and avoid, scammers are using a type of digital barcode that appears at the top of a photograph or question they are using in the display area. Thanks for making this a subject of discussion.
Thank you Victoria. I was a victim of this scam. I’m usually so aware of this stuff, but the woman (honourfortune108@gmail.com) fooled me. The good news is, once I figured out it was a scam (after paying and after she ghosted me, I contacted Fiverr and they cancelled the order and completely refunded my money, no questions asked. And I received the refund in my bank within 3 days. Then I received another request, for the same thing from: Victoria Emily Book Placement Expert (victoriamercyemily16@gmail.com) They go for our weakest spot, our egos – they say all the right things about how much they love your book, blah blah blah. I’m so glad I found your site. I appreciate your work!
I would like to thank this site, Writer Beware, Victoria Strauss, and especially Mike Reeves-McMillan for actually naming Rapheal/Raphael.Hemsworth the later of which I would not have found on the internet had Mike not named him/IT. I am pasting my FB post about what almost happened to me just last night had I not had my faculties in tact. It’s a public post that anyone can read. I believe that Rapheal/Raphael.Hemsworth has stopped trying to get into my wallet now, but it’s pertinent that no one fall prey to these scammers.
https://www.facebook.com/kathleen.nesbitt/posts/pfbid032xFfXynBdpE3ycyHAYL4GPtM9QigcEFDUeiNvezLrNPY5jABNwGFsnuXB1FGvUd8l
I keep getting emails from Rapheal Hemsworth as well!
First I received three of these emails that praised my book and that seemed to get at its essence. Lucky for me, I got it right away–not only were all pitching to promote my book but they were all practically the same, bullet points and all! Then I started getting the book clubs that wanted to feature my book. Again, the same. I looked up one of these book clubs which exists and it’s organizer is Colin but the scam email spelled it Colln! Now I’m getting emails from famous authors that want to connect with me because of how wonderful my books are. A successful author is not going to put “author” in front of their name in their email address! I actually engaged with one of these authors and they were incredibly articulate and even asked pertinent questions. Such BS! All of them are gmail accounts. Believe me, no matter how great your book is no one is going to contact you to promote your book out of the blue….
Gee, I thought I was left out, but this came today!
Better Off Dead — A gripping story that deserves to spark book club conversations 🔍✨
Inbox
Lizzie Fields
Thu, Oct 23, 7:01 PM (1 day ago)
to me
Hello Glenda,
I recently came across Better Off Dead on Hasty Book List, and I was instantly intrigued. The way you blend suspense, heart, and authenticity shows the depth of your storytelling craft. It’s clear that every chapter was written with both precision and passion — the kind that keeps readers turning pages late into the night.
Your ability to draw readers into a world of mystery while grounding it with real human emotion is truly remarkable. It’s the kind of story that doesn’t just entertain — it lingers. And that’s exactly what makes Better Off Dead a perfect fit for book clubs.
Have you ever considered introducing your book to book clubs? These communities are full of passionate readers who love to explore compelling characters, dissect intricate plots, and champion stories they connect with. They don’t just read — they share, discuss, and recommend. That word-of-mouth energy could be a powerful force in helping your book reach new audiences.
If you’ve already taken steps in this direction, I’d love to hear how it’s gone so far. If not, I’d be happy to walk you through how book club outreach can amplify your visibility and foster deeper reader engagement — especially for a story as gripping and emotionally layered as yours.
Glenda, Better Off Dead feels like a hidden gem waiting to be discovered by groups of readers who will champion it with enthusiasm. Book clubs might be your most valuable avenue right now to get your story into the hands of those who will truly appreciate your craft.
If this resonates with you, simply reply “I LOVE BOOK CLUB” — and I’ll share how we can make that happen together.
Warm regards,
Lizzie Fields
Well ….. they know the name of the book. They found it on Hasty Book List. Yes I was interviewed on HBL. Everything else is so generic it’s silly. I am so tempted to play along for a while.
Please do–and report back!
I got the same one, with just my book name in place of yours and a few other minor details changed from dear Lizzie Fields. I said “thanks but no thanks,” and she left me alone — until today. I got a “Happy Authors Day” and “just checking in.” I think that’s far enough, so I won’t reply now.
Here’s one I received on October 23. A bit of a giveaway, just using his first name, and no contact information?
“Hi David,
I’m John, the organizer of The Readers’ Circle Book Club, a vibrant community where readers bring the books they’re currently enjoying, sparking authentic, cross genre conversations. Our gatherings thrive on discovery, giving authors a chance to connect with curious, passionate readers in a natural and memorable way.
Our members are drawn to ambitious, imaginative stories that push boundaries, and Trevelyan’s Wager offers exactly that with its high stakes sci fi premise of corporate engineered immortality and a journalist’s dangerous uncovering of the human cost of eternal youth.
Here’s the value we bring to authors:
60 to 90 engaged readers typically connect with each featured title through our sessions and partner clubs.
Books are not only read but discussed, shared, and remembered, often making their way onto Instagram, Goodreads, and personal blogs.
Each feature reliably generates 35 to 50 thoughtful reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and BookBub, giving your work lasting credibility and visibility. Readers frequently recommend or gift featured books, creating a ripple effect that extends well beyond the club itself.
Featuring Trevelyan’s Wager with us wouldn’t just be a one time spotlight, it would open the door to lasting conversations and momentum within communities that celebrate bold, adventurous storytelling.
Would you be open to having Trevelyan’s Wager featured with our readers?
John”
…god only knows what he’d ask for…
I’m so glad you wrote this – I just got a “Reader’s Circle” offer from “Margaret Emily” at margaretemily.us@gmail.com (you know they’re in the US when they put it in the beginning of a free gmail account. lol). They used a stock photo of a cute gray haired lady in her car. Though you’ll be pleased to know Reader’s Circle is up to a whopping 2,000 members. And they ask for $15-20 “tips” per review. You just have to tell them how many reviews you want…
I get a steady stream of these types of scams (see below for the latest example). It all started a couple of years ago when I created an author page on Facebook. What a mistake. I’ve made no connections with anyone genuinely interested in my writing — but I get messages from a lot of people who want to sell me all types of obviously fraudulent marketing products and solutions. By creating an author page on Facebook, all I’ve done is open my front door so strangers can walk into my living room and give their pitch. The fact that I get virtually no legitimate engagements from Facebook tells me it is about time to shut down the account. ….. From: Benjamin
Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2025 6:17 PM
To: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Let’s bring Marienbad My Love to a diverse, engaged book-club audience
Hi Mark,
I’m Benjamin, organizer of Books by the Beltline, a 4.8★ rated book club based in Atlanta, Georgia, with over 1,600 active members. Our readers are passionate about discovering compelling contemporary fiction, exploring diverse voices and genres, and engaging in thoughtful, inclusive discussions in our Midtown Atlanta community.
Your novel Marienbad My Love immediately caught our attention. Its bold ambition, genre-blending vision and record-breaking scale make it a standout piece of literature. We believe it offers our community a unique opportunity for discovery, conversation and author visibility.
Here’s how we feature authors and their books:
Reading & Reflection – Our members purchase and read your book, then share their insights about its themes, characters, structure and impact in one of our meetings near Piedmont Park / the Eastside Beltline Trail.
Author Q&A – We prepare guided discussion prompts to explore your inspiration behind Marienbad My Love, your creative process, and what you hope readers will take away.
Guided Discussion – Using your book as the anchor, we lead a conversation that highlights its themes, narrative style and relevance; helping members connect with both the story and you as the author.
Community Spotlight – Your book is featured across our 1,600+ member network in the Atlanta area, giving you increased visibility, word-of-mouth potential and meaningful engagement.
Shared Reviews & Impressions – Our members contribute thoughtful reviews and feedback across platforms (book club forum, Goodreads, social) which help grow awareness and strengthen your presence among active readers.
Author Recognition – Featured titles receive ongoing visibility through our club promotions, newsletters and event recaps, positioning your work as a must-read within a respected literary community.
Long-Term Reader Engagement – Marienbad My Love will remain part of our reading archive, meaning new members can continue discovering and discussing your work long after the initial session concludes.
If this sounds like a good fit, I’d love to explore featuring Marienbad My Love in one of our upcoming reading sessions. Our community is excited by boundary-pushing fiction and we believe your work would spark real conversation.
Warm regards,
Benjamin
Book Club Organizer,
Books by the Beltline Book Club.
E.
booksbybeltline.bookclub@gmail.com
W.
http://www.meetup.com/books-by-the-beltline-book-club/
My experience on Facebook was exactly like yours. That’s why I no longer waste my time there. The whole site is overrun with hucksters and scammers. I’ve even had them offer to promote a picture of a ham sandwich. Seriously.
I recieved a similar email last week and thinking it was strange asked for legitimacy. They gave me two authors names and ’email addresses’. I found those authors seperate from that and they confirmed that they were not their real email addresses, and they had never heard of them. So, the implication is that they are using fake email addresses for real authors, which is really terrible.
I’m getting a lot of messages lately from people impersonating real authors. Naturally, you go look up the author name on amazon and see that they have thousands of reviews, so you continue the conversation with them. Eventually, they tell me about how hard it is starting off as a new writer, and then they tell me about some book promoter or marketing person who was able to help them earlier in their career. They recommend that person and then they send me to their fiver account. That’s when it becomes obvious it’s a scam.
Since my latest Steve Hawks series book came out, I have received over 70 such emails. Some just don’t want to take No for answer and keep sending more, until I block them.
My scam emails are pouring in now, the latest of which impersonates a real book club. Authors, especially self-published “unknowns,” usually crave ego-gratification, and these poor souls are the targets. Should I respond to these scam emails negatively, lead them on, or continue to consign them to my junk folder? I’m getting increasingly pissed off with these, and this AI world in general.
I got two of these messages and both were laying the compliments on thick, practically dripping in emoji dressed desperation and it was the biggest giveaway to the AI of it all. They’re actually hilarious to read. I did respond to the first one, from the supposedly named Emily Taylor, asking why I couldn’t find any trace of her in connection to the literary world online if she had such a large reader group and she responded by basically saying they work like phantoms which makes them sound like the CIA lol. Calling the payments “tips” is so irritating too.
Just sent off an email to you folks regarding the “Shepherd’s Bush Book Club” scam as you are interested in tracking them. Two days ago, I also got an email by a lovely gal named Deborah M. Bernal that was absolutely enamored with my writing and wants to get to know me!! Mystery writers are cynical and I did a Google search of her picture that she (shocker) lifted from Instagram, and a lifted phone number as well. Shame. Shame. Shame.
Super article! I’m recommending all “my” authors sign up, and definitely read this article. The Book Club scam (which I knew nothing about previously) has hit some of my authors up here in Canada. It’s challenging to have an author express hope at increased exposure, only to have to be the one to pop their balloon. Better I crush a dream, early on, than the dream-nightmare crush the author later. What a loopy world.
On the book club scams, the website bookclubs.com has a comprehensive listing. Sometimes you can find the one mentioned in the scam email, other times not. When it’s on that website and often has contact information I use it to ask if they contacted me. One I received the other day looked legit and they even sent me a link to the website. I went into MeetUp and messaged the true organizer then told the scammer I’d just messaged her in MeetUp and when she replied we could talk. Of course she didn’t so I warned the bookclub about the scammer but while I was at it told them about my books which are award winners and have reader guides on the website. LOL. You never know, right?
I also save all those flowery AI generated descriptions to use as leads on my social media posts. They’ve come in quite handy. LOL.
Today I got an email from Woodside Motion Co., which was mentioned in an earlier comment. I responded to see what they’re going to say. It was weird that the email address they used is not the one I typically use as a writer so no telling where they found it. I’ll let you know how that goes. The company looks legit, but they probably want me to front all the costs of production. Yeah, right. Not going to happen.
The book club link is helpful–thanks! Please do report back on what you hear from Woodside Motion–I’m getting a lot of reports of solicitations from them but I haven’t yet figured out what their game is (other than, possibly, charging fees to produce videos).
I just got this hilariously inept email:
QUICK QUESTION REGARDING YOUR BOOK
Emilia Stefano
HELLO 👋 Author
I came across your Facebook page while Scrolling and your bokks are really intriguing title and covers.
Is it based on something personal, or purely fiction?
I’ve received several of these offers, hotly from promotion scammers. The last one really seemed to have read the book and I almost replied.
So glad my googling led me to this post. I’ve been wearily deleting the marketing ones for weeks now–I get a few every single day, mostly about my newest books, but more and more about earlier books–but today I got my first bookclub scam email (“from” a bookclub in London) and it caught me off guard. I didn’t bite–I stopped to search first, finding that the bookclub is real and noting that the date they were “inviting” me for a drop-by or Q&A (in London! That’s a long Uber ride from Columbus, OH) or–no Uber needed–a “spotlight” on a 20-year-old book of mine–is the one date no event is scheduled for this fall and winter (so it’s a well-researched fake invitation!). And then a second round of googling, adding the word “scam” to my search, led me to you. Well done. I do wish I understood how they’re finding us. Deleting these emails isn’t satisfying enough. But I can’t think of what more I can do.
Wow. I get hit up by these people multiple times a day. They typically want a PDF of my entire manuscript plus $10 – $25 per participant. No website, no referrals, nothing. Thanks for posting this.
Thank you for the alerts. I haven’t been deluged with spam, but several emails have asked me to sign…documents, online. No explanation. I do sign online documents; it gets me money, royalties; but I expect details.
Reflections on Writing and Publishing
I do not aspire to be a writer, though I often wish I possessed that talent. Nevertheless, I wrote a book titled “When Doctors Don’t Listen”. At first, I believed I was going to save the world with my story. Over time, I’ve come to realize that writing the book served more as therapy for me than anything else.
The book is based on true life events, but it is written as fiction. This was done on the advice of an attorney, who cautioned that if I released my original nonfiction manuscript, I might face serious consequences—including threats to my safety or lawsuits from the large corporation involved in my story. Like many others who share their experiences publicly, I quickly learned that writing a book made me a target.
Throughout my publishing journey, I have been scammed by editors, designers, and, most often, self-publishing companies and individuals who claimed they could promote my work. The book has been available on Amazon since 2016 and was re-released in 2018. Since then, I have been contacted relentlessly by scammers—mostly those who start their pitches with promises of “no advanced money required” and dreams of success that never materialize.
Today, I was approached by Woodside Motion Company, which claims to be a collaboration company. They state that they introduce their clients’ work to potentially interested parties, with no upfront fees. I received a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) from them; it is simply written, without legal jargon, and appears straightforward. According to the NDA, they would introduce my work in PDF format for one year to their associates. If they find a production company or someone interested in producing documentaries, we will then proceed with contract negotiations. The verbale agreement specifies that I would receive 90% of any proceeds, while Woodside Motion Company would retain 10%.
Given that they do not ask for any money upfront, I am left wondering, after nine years on Amazon and approximately 300 books sold, what do I have to lose? Over the past six years, I estimate that I have earned around $300.00 from sales, and I am not convinced I have received all the royalties I am entitled to. Sales have dwindled to perhaps one book every few months. Overall, my experience has cost me, with a “learn as I go” penalty totaling about $6,000.00.
I am curious if anyone has any experience with this company, which claims to be based in New York and was registered as a new business in March 2025. This makes me very suspicious, especially since their website is not informative and lacks substantial details. In the past, I have suspected that my story was stolen, possibly in India, but I do not have the means to pursue copyright infringement claims. Now I am left wondering: Should I send the PDF? At this point, any exposure—good or bad—might be better than none. I keep hearing that even bad exposure is better than no exposure. This has been a continuous learning experience for me.
Thanks
Nancy.
Did you ever get to the bottom of this? I have been going back and forth with them. I can’t figure out what the scam is, but something seems off. They do not offer to make a production for you or a proof of concept. I have an odd feeling here, but it seems legit. IDK.
I’ve gotten multiple reports of identical solicitations by Woodside Motion over the past few months. I can’t say for sure that they’re a scam, and at least some of their team members appear to be real people; I also haven’t received any reports of fee-charging (though it wouldn’t surprise me). But there isn’t much info about the company on its website, and the big screen adaptation pipe dream is fertile ground for scammers. And the aggressive solicitation is a warning sign.
Importantly, Woodside’s website does not mention any examples of work they’ve successfully placed with production companies. Even if there are no upfront charges, I’d think really carefully before signing up with a company that can’t demonstrate a track record. Additionally, on their Gallery page, there are a bunch of shots of company staff (in company T-shirts) apparently making videos with a number of individuals and/or their families. All of these individuals are elderly–another warning sign, IMO, as predatory companies often try to focus on elderly people who may be easier to persuade and trick.
I would not advise anyone to send a PDF of their work to any person or company, unless they are absolutely, 100% certain the person is legit (and even then, not unless they know exactly what use will be made of the PDF).
I (and many others) have received similar spam about my fanfics — except those guys offered illustrations instead of reviews. Usually, they don’t bother with personalization, although the latest case was a bit smarter — they left a review on a barely-read fic of mine and actually quoted a paragraph that they claimed had impressed them, offering to “talk about the work”. Except… the fic is based on a lesser-known opera and offers some controversial plot points, and any genuine reviewer would have at least brought these facts up.
I’ve been inundated with these the last two days…. 8 in the last 24 hours. Where the heck did my email address show up suddenly and how to I make it stop??!?
Had one of these yesterday, and ran it past my colleagues at the Codex Writers’ Forum, because it tripped my spidey-sense. One of them pointed me to this post.
They really are well done, assembling details from my book’s blurb and my author profile into something that would almost be convincing if it was a little less overenthusiastic and not quite so too-good-to-be-true, or contained even one detail from the book itself that isn’t publicly available. (Also, the name on the email was “Rapheal Hemsworth,” which is a scammer name if ever I saw one: first name misspelled, second name from someone famous.)
Thanks for your work.
I received one from Rapheal/Raphael.Hemsworth myself just last night. Funny how IT (man/woman, I don’t know which) can’t seem to spell their own name the same way twice. I’ve been playing with IT ever since. IP address suggests that IT either comes from New York, California, or India. Now, IT has asked me for money per reader review. I think before I call IT out I’m going to let them stew a bit. Here’s the worst thing…my novel is about living with trauma/surviving trauma and these people have the audacity to pretend they read my novel, pretend they have this deep sincerity/empathy, and now they are more than happy to traumatize me as the author even further.
Victoria Strauss, co-founder of Writer Beware, Thanks for the post but It will be fair, If you removed the freelancers profile from the post.
There is no obligation to be fair with con artists.
the did a great job on my own book the only problem i see is that they are too much spamming me
i recently work with them an did they did a very great Job!!! but i don’t know how you were scammed
You did, did you? Tell us more.
Yes, I’m receiving an average of three of these solicitations a week. I told one of them that I liked the idea of approaching book clubs, and to email me back in a year to see if I have the money to do it. Ha!
Thank you very much for alerting us to all these scams! I truly appreciate it!
I’ve started cc’ing the author mentioned so they know.
today I got a solicitation regarding my memoir,from a man claiming to be a book Scout, and then later the same day, I got a solicitation from a woman saying that she was a literary, senior companion, with a company called Paperwrights.co. They claim to be located in Texas.It’s clear from the wording that these two solicitations are related. I didn’t find that company name on the Writer beware list of scammers however I’m pretty skeptical. I wonder if anyone else has heard from this group.
Found my way here because I’m getting TEXTED by these guys today.
I get these various scams a couple of times a week, if not more. They also contact me on LinkedIn. In fact, I’m leery about accepting anyone who works in promotion or marketing. They immediately message me. It’s so out of control.
The scary part is how fast these scams evolve. First it was the PR expert emails, now fake book clubs and review groups. Makes me wonder really.
Agreed. This is–by far–the fastest that I’ve ever seen a scam emerge. By contrast, the Philippine scams took two to three years to become dominant. The Pakistani ghostwriting scams spread faster, but it still took a couple of years after their emergence for me to start getting significant numbers of questions and complaints.
Thanks for your fantastic post, Victoria! It’s not only informative but also immensely entertaining. My favorite is “Paladin of publishing”–can’t be better :-))
I aim to please. Thanks!
I appreciate your unmasking of these criminals. It will never end. All we can do is stand up for right, and be smart while they think of another way to cheat someone. Thank you, Kitty
I had two such emails. One was from an Oklahoma City entrepreneur reading group. The other was from a Seattle reading group. The Seattle emailer forgot to ask for money. 🙂
Thank you so much for the information and sound advice. What a service you provide!
I always learn a lot from your posts. The fact that you do not require payment of any kind is admirable. Thank you, and please continue to spotlight fraud.
I thought for sure he died.
Cor – and I thought they really loved my book!
I may be embroiled in a book club scam…. Aargh!
Send me details! beware@sfwa.org
Before I knew about the book review scam, I corresponded with “Julia Adam,” who posted a rave review of one of my novels on GoodReads. Since most of my novels are trad pub, I wasn’t interested in paying for reviews (!) When she followed up, I sent her a link to the WriterBeware article from August (https://writerbeware.blog/2025/08/01/return-of-the-nigerian-prince-a-new-twist-on-book-marketing-scams/). Snippy of me, true, but satisfying. I got the same intro message…and then a “How dare you accuse me of being a scam!!!” letter. If there were even the slightest doubt of the scam, that was proof positive!
LOL!
Wild how the defensive reactions usually end up confirming the scam more than anything else. Curious, has anyone here actually seen one of these review offers that didnt trip red flags right away?
Oh I love that approach… maybe I’ll just reply to them all with a link to this. LOL
Well, I can tell you all one thing. If you say you write porn you will get no book club invites, real or fake! 🙄😂😭
I got a Meet.Up email…totally fake, to many mistakes in the email. I did get another email which was different though it was frozen anthology…we rejected it due to further research…profile was someone else. I’ll share this in the group. Thanks for all you do.
Any idea where they are gathering the Author emails? It would be inefficient to get from everyone’s individual platforms. Are they pulling from Author/Writer Groups? Editing or publishing sites?
They may be scouring the internet, but as you say, that’s not very efficient. I suspect they purchase leads from lead-generating companies.
I wonder if it is trawling–the solicitation I received definitely pulled from my About Me page on my website to personalize, talking about supporting writer orgs, etc….
The scammer explicitly mentions how she found me: “Dear Dr. Brick, I first came across your name on the Minnesota Writers Directory, which led me to your fascinating book Minnesota Underground on Amazon.”
This is the first book I have been approached on – I am traditionally published. 2 or 3 a day!
Curious how that process feels on your end!
Hey Victoria, my name is Lizzy and I’ve received that same scam email from your first example. It was also sent to me on 9/15. The woman claimed to be Reese Witherspoon herself (yeah, right!) from Reese’s book club. The book club is legit and it does favor women’s fiction, but they would never email authors directly. You apply to them. Once you get accepted, it’s a free service and it’s only available to unpublished authors. Since I’m a published author and the email asked me for money I knew it was a scam.
I wrote an article on Medium and Substack, warning other authors to be aware of this new scam.
Thanks for your email. I really appreciate them.
Excellent call out, Victoria. I got a series of messages last month (some duplicated as you have described) from someone calling themselves Mark Ferguson… apparently based in Inverness!!!! markmferguson01@gmail.com.
Pretty sad stuff, but should be avoidable if you stick to the golden rule. Never send money unseen…
I have received both of these kinds of solicitations. One was so slick that they provided legitimate author references. One author in question went on X to say they never gave anyone permission to use them as references. Thanks, Victoria.
“Adegoke Benjamen’s” astonishing level of expertise is so amusing that I spit coffee on my keyboard by laughing. Good gods! It took me eight months and $6,700 to be certified as an editor: “Adegoke Benjamen” must have spent more than $140,000 and several years to learn all of those skills.
I am going now to Upwork / Fiverr and harass him.
Also, Reedsy is crammed full of scammers and Reedsy refuses to remove them. I suppose they do not because they get a significant “cut of the take.”
I’ve gotten several book-to-film adaptation proposals from Lionsgate Films, which were scams, as well as proposals from scammers impersonating actual literary agents. No one asked for money, which was perplexing.
Thanks so much for your diligent work. It is extremely helpful
Yeah well, I fell for the PayPal Friends & Family payment and my payment DISAPPEARED LOL because I was not that wise then but certainly are now thanks to Victoria, however I now have the upper hand on this scam will not comment any further until later. Next, I am going to RECOMEND A NIGERIAN LADY WHO CREATED a video for me. She is fantastic and not expensive. This poor lady is struggling to get work because of her nationality and deserves to be recognized for who she is not her nationality.
I learned the hard way too, but it completely changed how I handle online payments now.
I’m a self-published author of eight books, two memoirs and a multicultural mystery series with six published books, book 7 currently with my editor, and book 8 just started. I get these requests weekly, sometimes five or six a week. And I got a request from a legitimate, famous London book club, but the email spelled the book club facilitator’s name wrong! I’ve never responded to one of the offers. It’s obvious they use AI to write them, and you can find hints that they aren’t real. Especially look at the email addresses. That includes the ones from real “bestselling authors” who claim they love my books and want to help me get more visibility. The email addresses are usually gmail addresses, not the author’s professional email. Those email addresses can be very telling. Thanks for once again proving I’m not just being paranoid.
I, too, have been solicited by a few of the ones mentioned, but quickly realized the praise for my book was written in prose too elevated for a marketing person, and the person couldn’t have read the book, anyway. I specifically remember the supposed book club offering reviews and suggesting coffee-money payments to the reviewers starting at $25.
I’m wondering if anyone has been contacted by a guy who calls himself Michael Praise. He promised sales of my book through email marketing to 1,500 subscribers. He promised sales of 300-800, and presented me with a written guarantee. I got him down to $150, to be paid to his “finance manager” in Nicaragua, who appears also to be a book marketer, through Upwork. With Upwork charges, the total came to $165. I paid. Then he said I’d have to open a MailChimp account, and pay for it, for sending his promotion of my book. I refused, and he said he could get it done some other way. Then he told me I would need to have a video trailer made for $250. I was negotiating with another trailer producer for $100, and told Mr. Praise he could use that trailer. So he told me he’d do the trailer for $100 (he had lowered it to $150).
I told him to stop, and I wanted a refund, which he talked around. I checked Upwork, and it appears difficult to get a refund. I emailed the outfit yesterday, but haven’t heard back.
I received one of these. I dismissed it as a scam, but the quality of the writing almost convinced me it was okay. Thanks to AI, the sophistication of these scams will keep increasing.
I’ve been receiving a crap ton of these emails, which started in the late spring, I believe (at least for me). At first I thought they were genuine and would respond courteously, thanking them for their kind words but declining whatever they were offering (too freaking old to be bothered). One kept emailing, constantly trying to change my mind. I’ve started printing them out and saving them in a binder.
I’ve had two solicitations from a book group on Meetup. Both groups were legit. The organizer of one from the UK responded to my message and verified that he never emailed me. The second, a group from Las Vegas, has messages from those outside her group could not send. I declined both offers to pay for a book club spotlight, especially when the dates they slotted me in already had a book scheduled for a spotlight.
I also receive many of the other types of emails. When I inform them I won’t do business with anyone without a Fiverr or Upwork account, of course they send me their ‘manager’s’ account info. Most of the time they are from Nigeria. Some seem to have a legit biz on those platforms but regardless, I send their emails to spam.
Thank you for the blog! It has silenced that nagging ‘what if’ voice in the back of my mind. Keep up the great work!
Almost like they study the way writers think. Has anyone here ever actually confronted one of these organizers?
I have two self-published books because I have not found a way to use traditional publishing. Both books are enjoyed by those who read them. Because the publisher did not know what they were doing when they put them on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, no one knows they are there.
I am working on my third book and need to find an honest publisher. Can someone there please provide some guidance n this? And if there is anything that can be done to let people know about my first two books?
I also need info on having a website. Being autistic, I tend to avoid anything social so I am a bit confused as to the use and need for an author’s website.
Greetings. I belong to a group of professional writers and editors who are autistic: for many autistic people, the work of writing and editing matches their “born with” logical, analytical skills.
To find an honest publisher, it depends on what the manuscript is. For magazines, WRITER’S MARKET used to be the go-to until that business ended.
For novels and memoirs, the MANUSCRIPT WISH LIST is the go-to. You will need to learn how to write queries that you will need to send to literary agents. There are several books on how to write queries.
As for letting humans know that you have written two books, one way is to send a copy to various book clubs and libraries. I sent a copy of my first memoir to a museum in Barstow, California, and the organizer there bought sixty copies; nearly 1,000 copies have sold, most of them by “word of mouth.”
I recommend never buying adverts on Facebook, Amazon’com, Twitter (not just because the owner is a fascist felonious asshole), Reddit, etc.: they do not sell books. Also, successful marketing of self-published books cost more than book sales will bring— buy one or two orders of magnitude.
It is almost always the case that Trade publishing is the best route for writers to take. Publishers tend to know how much a manuscript will earn, and they base the advance payment based on this. I much prefer having a publisher pay me instead of readers pay me; once an advance “earns-out,” a writer can expect royalties for the book’s economic life time.
Literary agents can “smell” a good manuscript even through ten inches of steel (so to speak), and an excellent manuscript makes most literary agents orgasm.
Post Script.
Author’s websites allow readers an easy way to find established authors and her books. This is also helpful for literary agents to know what you have written and the projects you are working on. “Social media” utterly baffles me because the humans are, in the majority, barking mad lunatics who have eschewed logic, reason, basic politeness, honesty, and comprehensible communication. I avoid humans as a bulimic avoids chicken soup. However, I have “social media” accounts because my ego is the size of an average gas giant, as well because literary agents expect writers to market themselves.
The latest iteration I’ve received claims to be from Rick Riordan. Here’s the text of the email, which came from a gmail address (rickriordan240@gmail.com). As if! LOL.
Hello 👋,
I’m Rick Riordan, you might know me from Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Heroes of Olympus, The Kane Chronicles, and a few other myth-filled adventures where modern kids cross paths with ancient gods, monsters, and mayhem.
📚 Latest book link: https://a.co/d/8ztrseL
📝 Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001HD0WE8
But today, I’m not writing to talk about my own books, I’m writing because I want to hear about yours.
What inspired your story world?
Which characters won’t let you sleep until you tell their tale?
And when the writing road gets bumpy, what keeps you going?
If you share your book link, website, or Amazon/Goodreads page, I’d be happy to check it out, and cheer you on. We may be telling very different tales, but we’re on the same quest: to create stories that matter to readers.
Looking forward to swapping adventures, celebrating your voice, and supporting your journey.
Best wishes,
Rick Riordan
Rick Riordan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Kane Chronicles, and The Heroes of Olympus. Known for blending mythology with modern adventure, his books have captivated millions of readers worldwide. A former middle school teacher, Rick also wrote the award-winning Tres Navarre mystery series for adults.
This is an example of a slightly different scam template–the Friendly Author Approach–which I’ve written about here. Originally spreading mostly on social media, it has recently expanded to exmail solicitation, and impersonates often well-known authors who appear to be reaching out for some friendly conversation and sharing, but winds up with a referral for shady promotional services. I haven’t traced this one to Nigeria (yet), but it wouldn’t surprise me if it turned out to be another example.
Thank you for this ‘wake-up call’! I’ve received 3 of these flattering solicitations over the past couple of weeks. Gut feeling was too good to be true & too slick as if by AI. So fortunately I didn’t take the bait.
I’ve been seeing these people post on my author facebook page. They are very engaging, replying to messages quickly. I’m glad I read your newsletter and thought it felt off!