SCAMMER ALERT FOR AUTHORS

Both online and off, authors have become targets for scammers. And self-published authors are by far the most frequently caught in their crosshairs.

So, what do you need to know to protect yourself?

These bad actors often impersonate publishing companies, literary agents, editors, Hollywood creatives, and other professionals in the literary field and entertainment industry. They will commonly use real names, trademarks and logos to appear legitimate, then take your money and never fulfill the services solicited.

Don’t be fooled!

·       Scam Alert

You may get the “I’m a Hollywood executive” spiel, appealing to an author’s ultimate dream of garnering a movie deal. This supposed Hollywood executive may offer an opportunity to “co-produce,” which gives you the right to make many of the decisions. Tempting, right? Well, with that co-producer title comes an investment in the project, and that’s where the scam comes in, as they ask you for money up front to invest in the project.

·       Scam Alert

Another tactic is to claim they are a literary agent who can guarantee to get you a book deal. All they need is some money up front. Don’t fall for it!

No reputable literary agent would ask you for money of any amount. Literary agents get paid when you get paid by taking a percentage of your royalties. That’s how it works.

Plus, it is extremely rare for an agent to reach out to you rather than the other way around. So, if you’re contacted by someone claiming to be a literary agent interested in your manuscript, you had best be ready to do a lot of digging into the person contacting you.

Ask for their information. Link to the agent’s website and confirm their contact information. Ask for a list of their clients, not just testimonials.

A legitimate literary agent who contacts you about a book that has already been published will ask if the development rights are available, and they will have already read the book. They will provide a telephone number and other information so you can verify they are who they claim to be. If they are truly interested, they will offer you an option agreement. They may offer you a service, but if they don’t have a first look partner, there is no guarantee anyone will ever see your manuscript.

A legitimate agent will require you to submit a book proposal or query letter and will give you clear instructions on how to submit your manuscript to them. Agents tend to represent specific genres, so make sure that particular agent represents your genre.

But again, in any case, if they are legit, they will not ask for money. As I said above, they get paid when they sell your book to a publishing house. That’s a literary agent’s job.

·       Scam Alert

The same goes for someone contacting you claiming to be with a particular publishing house, offering a book deal.

Legitimate publishing houses are not known to contact authors directly. However, suppose they were, by some chance, presented with your manuscript by someone whose opinion they trust. In that case, it is more likely that the person who recommended your work would be the go-between if the publisher is interested in pursuing you further.

In addition, the publisher will request that you retain a literary agent before signing a book deal.

But even if they were contacting you because someone recommended your manuscript, if that publisher is truly legitimate, they would never ask you for money.

·       Scam Alert

Millions of new writers frequent various social media sites where other authors hang out. Mention that your book is near completion or hint that you are seeking an editor, and you’ll be bombarded with offers from people offering to help and claiming to be editors. Some, maybe even more than half, will indeed be legitimate editors, while the rest are con artists who will readily take your money and run.

And those who claim to be just another writer or perhaps a “new” editor, willing to edit for you for free? Send them your manuscript, and you’ve very possibly just handed over hours upon hours of hard work to someone who will now publish your book as their own. I’ve seen this happen with people offering to beta read, too. So again, beware.

Do your due diligence and be sure you choose a reputable editor. Before making your choice, I highly recommend you check out this article: https://www.killingitwrite.com/post/how-to-find-the-right-editor-for-you before making any decisions, and before handing over even a dollar of your hard-earned money or your manuscript.

·       Scam Alert

Another common tactic by scammers is to claim that someone noticed your book and said it was worth pursuing. In fact, I got a call just last week from someone claiming that a “book scout” flagged my book and suggested they contact me.

In this particular instance, the caller claimed to be with a marketing company, but no matter what their claim, whatever you do, never hand over any information, never your complete manuscript, and certainly never a nickel, until you’ve done your due diligence and verified they are who they say they are, and that they are legitimate.  

·       Scam/Misrepresentation Alert

You might also be contacted by someone posing as a publisher and promising to do all the work for you. Editing, formatting, book cover, marketing, uploading to various platforms, and more. And all for one flat fee. Then they take your money and run, never fulfilling the promised services.  

These scammers are not to be confused with the vanity presses, which are actual publishing houses, or some consider them to be. However, in the eyes of many in the publishing industry, vanity presses aren’t “true” publishers and are, in a way, misrepresenting themselves as such.

Why? Well, let me explain.

We call them “vanity presses” because what they are doing is playing to your vanity. You want to be a published author, and you want to claim that you actually have a publisher. You don’t want to be in the ranks of a “self-published” (a/k/a “indie-published”) author because that’s beneath you. But what you should understand is that a vanity press is the same thing. A vanity press is an independent publisher.

They are also a one-stop shop for indie authors who don’t want to do the work of finding a good editor who fits them, a formatter, a book cover artist, and so on. They would rather let someone else make all of these decisions for them and just pay one entity a flat fee.

The indie author who uses a vanity press typically wants to have control of what the cover looks like, what the title of their book will be, and wants to make the ultimate decision of the contents inside their book. These authors are willing to hand over the money to have someone else do it all for them, while they maintain this control. And that’s fine if that’s what you want.

Also, be aware that the editing these vanity presses provide is nothing more than proofreading, not actual line editing or developmental editing. This is an important step that should never be discounted, especially by new authors.

Just be sure to do your due diligence and make sure this is a reputable company. Also, be sure to read the contract carefully before signing. Have an attorney look at it if you can, and be sure you understand completely what rights you are giving away, and what you are getting in return for your hard-earned money.

So, what should you do if you are contacted by one of these scammers?

Well, for starters, don’t let your ego cloud your judgment. If this is an unsolicited call, meaning they are contacting you, you should immediately be on alert.

Start asking questions. Who recommended your book to them? What did they say about it? What is it about your book that has them interested? In nearly every case, you’ll discover that they haven’t even read your book, and the person they claim recommended it isn’t who they say they are.

Ask for their company name and telephone number. At what address can they be found online? Verify their credentials!

Once you’ve determined it’s a scam, demand they take you off their email and call lists. Let them know that if they don’t, you will report them to the Attorney General’s office for violation of the Consumer Protection Code.

One Final Warning:  

Scammers are like weeds. They pop up, you cut them out, and they come back under a different bush—a/k/a name. They may even change their pitch and make an entirely different claim. For instance, first, they were an editor; now, they are a publisher.

Be aware, and be forewarned.

Don’t be scammed!