Authors, beware! Publishing scams are on the rise. In recent months, some of my editing clients have received requests from “literary agents” who want to represent them, and “editors” from big five publishers saying that if they’ll just pay a small fee up front, they can get the book deal of their dreams.
As authors, we can be vulnerable to moments when it finally feels like the universe is saying yes to all of the hard work we’ve poured into a book manuscript.
In this article, I’m going to provide you with examples of scams to look out for. Keep an eye out for these red flags, and do your fellow writer friends a favor by giving them a heads up, too.
Also, if you’ve been the target of a scam, please share it in the comments below to help educate other writers in our community.
If something feels off, it probably is.
Scams are everywhere. Trust your instincts.
Scammers prey on your emotions. They boost your ego and make you feel chosen. If you’re feeling desperate for your big break, or struggling with self-doubt and low self-confidence, you’re more susceptible to being the target of a scam.
Even if you’re facing rejection, you deserve to feel proud of yourself and your work. Being a part of a supportive writing community, talking to friends about your author journey, and even working with a coach or therapist are all great ways to boost your self-esteem and stay empowered.
If someone reaches out to you who you suspect could be a scammer, trust your instincts. Ask yourself:
Does this feel too good to be true?
Are they asking me to buy something?
Did I get a weird feeling in my gut about this person?
Who’s in my circle that has publishing expertise and can take a second look at this and help verify if it’s a scam or not?
Even savvy, experienced authors can be targeted, so stay educated on the latest scams and trust your gut if something phishy shows up in your inbox.
Are they claiming to be from a big five publisher?
If someone reaches out to you claiming to be from Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Hachette Book Group, or Simon & Schuster, be wary.
It is very rare that a big five publisher would reach out to you first about a book deal or movie deal, especially if you don’t have a huge platform or project that just went viral. And if someone claiming to be from a big five publisher asks for money, it’s a scam. They should never ask you to pay upfront fees for editing, cover design, printing copies of the book, or marketing. Traditional publishers don’t charge fees.
What email account is this message coming from? Are there typos or broken links?
One simple thing to watch for is whether the message is from a free email account like Gmail, Yahoo, or AOL rather than an official company address.
With the rise of AI, there are more and more fake email messages, websites, and social accounts out there, so look closely. Does the message include any broken links, weird typos, or odd wording? If so, it could be a publishing scam.
Are they asking for personal or banking information?
Alarm bells should be going off in your head if someone is asking for your personal details, banking information, or upfront fees before a contract is signed. Are they pressuring you to hand over a full copy of your manuscript right away, with no vetting or discussion first?
Legitimate editors and agents don’t ask for payment to represent or publish you, and they definitely don’t need your banking info during the inquiry stage.
Is the tone of the message… off?
A scammer will often try to bait authors with exaggerated flattery and glowing praise.
If the message you receive is rambling and vague, and compliments your work over and over…not only was it probably written with AI, but it could also be a scam.
Look for phrases like:
“I came across your book and wanted to introduce myself…”
"I was genuinely impressed by the way you…"
“Our book scouts have recommended your work…”
“Your book has unique traditional publishing potential…”
“We stumbled across your masterpiece on Amazon…”
If it reads as over the top, and if you can quickly tell that they haven’t even read your book, beware.
Is there time pressure? Are they asking you to pay a fee?
If the message is rushing you to make a decision quickly, pay a fee, sign a contract, or send an immediate response, be cautious. Scammers often add urgency, saying that their offer won’t be available for long.
Verify who contacted you
Scammers are getting more and more sophisticated at impersonating real people, and that’s why you see a lot of disclaimers and warnings on publisher websites now. (Messages like “Our company will never request payment or banking information. If you receive any communication claiming to represent us that requests money, please verify its authenticity before responding.”)
The sender may be impersonating a real book editor, literary agent, publicist, book club, reviewer, or media organization. Be sure to verify who contacted you by reaching out to the real person through their website.
Common Publishing Scams
Fake literary agents.
Someone claiming to be a literary agent reaches out and says they want to charge you a fee to read your manuscript. Or they say something like, “I've had the pleasure of reviewing your work, and I must say your storytelling is exceptional,” then recommend you reach out to a different literary agent. Sometimes they’ll pretend to be a “retired” agent recommending you to an active agent. You can check if a literary agent is a member of the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA).
Remember, reputable literary agents don’t charge upfront fees. They work on commission, which means they only get paid once they’ve sold your book to a publisher. Agents rarely reach out to writers first.
Manuscript phishing.
Someone posing as an editor or agent asks you to send your full unpublished manuscript. They may impersonate a real publishing professional or use a convincing-looking email address that’s one letter off from the real email. A legitimate agent or editor will typically request pages as part of a query or submission process you initiated, not randomly approach you. If someone contacts you out of the blue, verify them independently through the agency or publisher’s official website before sending anything.
Unsolicited republishing offers.
A “publisher” contacts you out of the blue wanting to traditionally republish your self-published book, then asks you to pay for it. Remember, traditional publishers don’t charge fees.
Fake interviews on podcasts or requests to be featured in a media outlet.
You're invited to appear on a podcast or in a magazine, but the “opportunity” turns out to be something you have to pay for.
PR/marketing upsells.
A company offers press release distribution, a guaranteed bestseller campaign, or a paid “award” submission that has little real value. They may promise bestseller status, major media coverage, bookstore placement, or thousands of guaranteed readers… then string you along and keep up-selling additional services when those results aren’t delivered.
Foreign rights or translation offers.
A foreign publisher offers to translate and distribute your book, then bills you for the costs. This is a scam. A legitimate foreign publisher would pay you for the rights to publish your book and cover the costs of translation, production, and distribution.
Bulk book club or buy-in offers.
Someone claims a book club wants to buy your book in bulk but asks for a “processing fee” per copy first.
ISBN scams.
There are unlicensed websites that sell “cheap” ISBNs and shady third-party resellers that register the number under their own company name. Bowker is the standard in the U.S. for ISBN numbers, so start there if you need to get an ISBN number.
Social media impersonation.
Be on the lookout for accounts posing as real, well-known agents or publishers that DM you with an offer.
Acquisition inquiries.
If you receive an unsolicited message saying someone wants to buy the rights to your book, but then they ask you to pay a fee, it’s a scam.
Book marketer Scams.
There are a lot of scams out there claiming to get your book into conferences, in the hands of book clubs, or into other marketing opportunities. Watch for red flags like a complimentary offer that quickly turns into a “participation fee” or “book return insurance.”
What to Do If You Are a Victim of Scams
If you’ve experienced a scam, end communication with that person immediately. Secure your accounts, change passwords for added security, and download any bank or credit card statements showing payments. Screenshot any emails, direct messages, or social media accounts as evidence, too.
You can file a report with your bank or credit card company to dispute fraudulent charges, and file a report with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), FTC, or Fraud.org. Report fake literary agents to the AALA. If needed, hire an attorney for support, especially if there was a contract involved.
Stay vigilant, my writer friends! I hope this post helps you avoid the latest frauds and scams out there, and when in doubt, ask a fellow writer, editor, or industry professional to take a second look at any offer that comes your way.
Information on scams that fellow Writers in The Storm co-hosts have been sent can be found here.
Are there any other scams you’ve seen that you’d add to this list? Please share them in the comments below!
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About Rachel
Rachel Warmath is a ghostwriter, book editor, and writing coach. Her mission is to serve writers, dreamers, and badass humans who are committed to healing and transformation. You can connect with her at www.RachelWarmath.com.
Yeah, I get one of these at least once a week, usually by email, occasionally by phone, sometimes by text. I ignore them all, except - well, the more creatively written ones I save to a file called "They Wanna Make Me Famous." They are fun to read now and then. The ones that I find somewhat insulting not only tell me what my book is about (as if I didn't know) but about who I am (as if I didn't know) - all of it scraped from the back-of-the-book blurb and my website "About" page, in an effort to "prove" that they have read my book(s) and everything about me. The really stupid ones don't even name my book (which one of my two?) they want to promote. In one email recently, they asked how many copies have sold of my latest book (it is still in draft) and claimed they can explode my sales.
I say, don't read 'em and weep: read 'em and laugh. Then get on with your writing.
I love that you bring humor into it! Read 'em and laugh is a great approach and I feel it's possible when you're informed and know what to look out for. Thanks for sharing this!
Hello, one thing you failed to mention is for the recipient of the scam email to NOT RESPOND TO THE EMAIL. Doing so tells the sender that the email is live and the email will be placed on a list for other scammers to use. Thank you.
Another thing to add is that sometimes they just reach out with flattery at first with nothing else, like a fan email. The offer of support or whatever else doesn't have to come right away. It's like a romance scam, so you feel like you know them before you agree to anything. You do not actually know anyone you have only met virtually.
When you send to a writer friend for an opinion, screenshot the email and send it. Do not forward it. And never click a link in an email. Interacting with the email could open your device to being scraped or infected.
One last tip. When they describe your work, are they saying only info that can be found online or is there nuance that indicates they may have actually read the book? A friend of mine received an email that used the blurb from her website reworded.
And now a thought. The AALA has recently changed rules in ways we should all be aware of. It's not quite what it used to be. [Link deleted]
So appropriate! I, like most authors, get these stinking AI generated emails every day. Most come in around 6 AM and start: "I hope you are well". Seriously? They come in our Instagram accounts, too. The fun never ends! Thanks for a great article.
Thanks for your comprehensive article. As a published author, I've received so many of these scam emails and have warned all of my writing friends.
I shared your article in both our private FB group and in our Muskoka Authors Association Facebook page! <3
We get messages all the time for "Paid Posts and Links." We don't respond because as Terry said above, they're just looking for you to verify your email. Just flag these offers as spam and get on with your day!
Yeah, I've received those emails and usually just shake my head, report them as spam, and delete them. What I have found amusing about them, sometimes, though is how often they will spew LOVE about my work then name a book or character I didn't write. That makes me laugh, THEN I report them as spam and delete the email.
Someone who is impersonating someone you've heard of. And yes, the email address should give you a clue. Check the spelling of the "company" in the header and the email address. Penguin and Penquin (had this one recently)
Rule of thumb--if YOU didn't contact THEM--It's a scam. Send to spam and block and don't waste your time unless you want to play with them for a while (which I do when bored.)I get emails, texts, and calls--all of which I block when I get them--unless bored and need some entertainment.
For me it's usually the email address that is the clue. Study it carefully. It might look exactly like the normal email address of a big publisher, but when you look closely you will notice one tiny hard-to-spot letter missing, when you compare it to the real publisher's email domain. Very cunning. I get several of these scams per week now. I'm getting good at picking them up. I've had such long emails from scammers, even their AI assistants must get tired typing them.
I saw one recently from stmartinspress.com. The editor is really there too. But a quick look at the website told me the company uses stmartins.com. Contact pages on the website will often give the email format the company uses. Compare.
This is excellent, Rachel. I’m glad your list of types of scams was so thorough. I’ve got from getting one fake email a week to receiving a few every day. And gone from the fake editor or agent to book clubs and ‘reading challenges,’ At least the senders and texts are getting more recognizably fake. It started with impersonations of actual people and now it’s ludicrous names. And clearly AI is just rehashing my own marketing and book description copy. I notify the actual people that they’ve been hacked. One writer/editor replied that there should be a special circle in Hell for the scammers.
One of my clients recently got an email that was very realistic. It wasn't just the blurb. They harvested the reviews as well, which gave them more info. But at least it quoted the reviews that let us see it. I don't trust any of these types of emails just on principle these days, but for the client, it was SO tempting. Clearly they were seeing something we weren't doing and if we did this thing... etc etc. I tossed the content through Pangram and it showed as 100% AI... which helped him understand what I was saying that it was a scam.
Two marketing scammers I know about recently touting fake book clubs: Cliff Kelfer, Juliana Clement. They may have changed their names by now.
Thank you for raising awareness and sharing this!
Yeah, I get one of these at least once a week, usually by email, occasionally by phone, sometimes by text. I ignore them all, except - well, the more creatively written ones I save to a file called "They Wanna Make Me Famous." They are fun to read now and then. The ones that I find somewhat insulting not only tell me what my book is about (as if I didn't know) but about who I am (as if I didn't know) - all of it scraped from the back-of-the-book blurb and my website "About" page, in an effort to "prove" that they have read my book(s) and everything about me. The really stupid ones don't even name my book (which one of my two?) they want to promote. In one email recently, they asked how many copies have sold of my latest book (it is still in draft) and claimed they can explode my sales.
I say, don't read 'em and weep: read 'em and laugh. Then get on with your writing.
I love that you bring humor into it! Read 'em and laugh is a great approach and I feel it's possible when you're informed and know what to look out for. Thanks for sharing this!
Hello, one thing you failed to mention is for the recipient of the scam email to NOT RESPOND TO THE EMAIL. Doing so tells the sender that the email is live and the email will be placed on a list for other scammers to use. Thank you.
YES! THIS! Tempting as it might be to come back with some snark, do NOT reply. That's all they're looking for. Valid email addresses to sell.
Great addition, thank you!
Great suggestions for what to do if this happens! I appreciate this information.
We all want people to like our work and it's easy to be lured in, which can be heartbreaking.
Thank you, Rachel.
I think I've had all the above-mentioned scam offers cluttering up my email and my DMs at one time or another. Such a time-wasting nuisance.
Another thing to add is that sometimes they just reach out with flattery at first with nothing else, like a fan email. The offer of support or whatever else doesn't have to come right away. It's like a romance scam, so you feel like you know them before you agree to anything. You do not actually know anyone you have only met virtually.
When you send to a writer friend for an opinion, screenshot the email and send it. Do not forward it. And never click a link in an email. Interacting with the email could open your device to being scraped or infected.
One last tip. When they describe your work, are they saying only info that can be found online or is there nuance that indicates they may have actually read the book? A friend of mine received an email that used the blurb from her website reworded.
And now a thought. The AALA has recently changed rules in ways we should all be aware of. It's not quite what it used to be. [Link deleted]
Thank you for these!
So appropriate! I, like most authors, get these stinking AI generated emails every day. Most come in around 6 AM and start: "I hope you are well". Seriously? They come in our Instagram accounts, too. The fun never ends! Thanks for a great article.
Thanks for your comprehensive article. As a published author, I've received so many of these scam emails and have warned all of my writing friends.
I shared your article in both our private FB group and in our Muskoka Authors Association Facebook page! <3
We get messages all the time for "Paid Posts and Links." We don't respond because as Terry said above, they're just looking for you to verify your email. Just flag these offers as spam and get on with your day!
'Too good to be true' is the standard.
But you have to have been writing for a while to catch many of these, and KNOW they couldn't possibly be real.
As you put it, 'off' is a proper response.
I enjoy the fake praise for a few minutes, then report as spam and block.
Sigh.
Yeah, I've received those emails and usually just shake my head, report them as spam, and delete them. What I have found amusing about them, sometimes, though is how often they will spew LOVE about my work then name a book or character I didn't write. That makes me laugh, THEN I report them as spam and delete the email.
Someone who is impersonating someone you've heard of. And yes, the email address should give you a clue. Check the spelling of the "company" in the header and the email address. Penguin and Penquin (had this one recently)
Rule of thumb--if YOU didn't contact THEM--It's a scam. Send to spam and block and don't waste your time unless you want to play with them for a while (which I do when bored.)I get emails, texts, and calls--all of which I block when I get them--unless bored and need some entertainment.
For me it's usually the email address that is the clue. Study it carefully. It might look exactly like the normal email address of a big publisher, but when you look closely you will notice one tiny hard-to-spot letter missing, when you compare it to the real publisher's email domain. Very cunning. I get several of these scams per week now. I'm getting good at picking them up. I've had such long emails from scammers, even their AI assistants must get tired typing them.
I saw one recently from stmartinspress.com. The editor is really there too. But a quick look at the website told me the company uses stmartins.com. Contact pages on the website will often give the email format the company uses. Compare.
I had an email praising my book in the usual hyped up AI way but it wasn’t my book! Haha, amused me for a while.
This is excellent, Rachel. I’m glad your list of types of scams was so thorough. I’ve got from getting one fake email a week to receiving a few every day. And gone from the fake editor or agent to book clubs and ‘reading challenges,’ At least the senders and texts are getting more recognizably fake. It started with impersonations of actual people and now it’s ludicrous names. And clearly AI is just rehashing my own marketing and book description copy. I notify the actual people that they’ve been hacked. One writer/editor replied that there should be a special circle in Hell for the scammers.
Thank you for sharing this!
One of my clients recently got an email that was very realistic. It wasn't just the blurb. They harvested the reviews as well, which gave them more info. But at least it quoted the reviews that let us see it. I don't trust any of these types of emails just on principle these days, but for the client, it was SO tempting. Clearly they were seeing something we weren't doing and if we did this thing... etc etc. I tossed the content through Pangram and it showed as 100% AI... which helped him understand what I was saying that it was a scam.
I get phone calls and emails from scammers on a daily basis.