Beware of Scammers

 

Protecting Indie Authors: How to Spot and Avoid Publishing Scammers

Fellow authors, I need to share something crucial with you, especially if you're just starting your indie publishing journey. The current publishing landscape is unfortunately flooded with opportunistic "services" looking to make a quick buck off aspiring authors.

The Reality of Today's Market

These operations often run out of economically disadvantaged regions where they can offer rock-bottom prices while delivering subpar work—if they deliver anything at all. The market is saturated with these predatory services, and they're specifically targeting new indie authors who are eager to succeed but may not yet know how to spot the warning signs.

How They Find and Target You

They're watching and waiting. The moment you publish your first book, create an author page, or join writing groups, these scammers will find you. They'll send unsolicited messages offering "amazing deals," promise professional services at unrealistically low prices, create fake testimonials and portfolio pieces, use high-pressure tactics claiming "limited time offers," and even spoof legitimate service providers' names and branding.

The "Hacked Facebook" Scam: A Reality Check

This one is particularly insidious. Someone claiming to be a successful, well-known author with dozens of published titles reaches out to you, often saying their main Facebook account was "hacked" so they're using a "backup account."

Stop and think realistically: Would a bestselling author with 50+ books really be spending their time chatting with unknown indie authors? Would they even know you exist? If Stephen King's Facebook got hacked, would he be sliding into your DMs to mentor you?

The harsh reality is that established, successful authors are busy writing, marketing their own work, and managing their careers. They're not seeking out new authors to randomly help unless there's a legitimate reason like a scheduled event, interview, or professional introduction.

How to Expose Them: The Question Test

Here's a powerful strategy to protect yourself: Test them with specific questions about details from their books that aren't in the published summaries—plot points, character development, their writing process for specific scenes. Ask about their hometown, their publisher relationships, or personal experiences they've mentioned in interviews. Real authors know these details intimately.

Here's the key: If they do respond, pay attention to how they answer. If the information isn't something they can copy and paste from a public internet page, they'll have to fabricate it. And let's be honest—most of these scammers can't think that fast on their feet. After all, they're impersonating someone else's entire career and life. The inconsistencies will show, the details won't add up, and their responses will feel generic or off somehow.

Additional Red Flags to Watch For

• "Backup" or "new" social media accounts with few followers
• Immediate offers to help or mentor you for a fee
• Stories about hacked accounts, lost contacts, or technical problems
• Prices that seem too good to be true
• Poor English in their communications
• Reluctance to provide samples of actual work
• Requests for full payment upfront
• No verifiable business address or legitimate website
• Generic, template-style proposals

The "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" Problem

Many of these operations disappear once they've collected enough money. You'll pay for services that never materialize, or receive work so poor it's unusable. By the time you realize you've been scammed, they've moved on to new victims under different names and fake identities.

Protect Yourself and Your Dreams

Your writing dreams are valuable. Don't let scammers exploit your passion and hard work. Research any service provider thoroughly, ask for references from other authors, never pay the full amount upfront, trust your instincts—if something feels off, it probably is—and connect with established author communities for recommendations.

Remember, legitimate professionals respect both you and the craft. They won't pressure you, they'll have verifiable track records, and they'll be transparent about their processes and pricing.

Share this information to help protect fellow authors in our community. Together, we can make it harder for these predators to succeed.