Authors: Don’t Become Victims of Book Promotion Scams

Marketing and promotion often involve writing, but most authors feel they lack the knowledge, skill, time, and money to devote to these pursuits. They tend to avoid the tasks related to getting their books in readers hands, even though they know it’s necessary if they want their books to sell and be read. And that’s why they jump at any offer of what appears to be free help in this vital area.

In the past year or more, scammers seem to have realized that authors are eager to let someone else promote their books—especially if the offer to do so includes ego-boosting compliments about their books and writing and contains no mention of payment for services rendered. As a result, authors—including myself—receive numerous email per month (or week) asking if someone can feature or spotlight their book via social media accounts, in book clubs and reading groups, on book review sites, and in book-related newsletters.

Each one of these inauthentic offers is a scam. If you bother to ask, you’ll discover they all involve a “small investment to cover expenses.”

If you fall for the deal, you’ll find you get little or no traction from your promotional investment. And if you care to explore the validity of the account, site, club, or person emailing, you’ll either discover they don’t exist or the person emailing is impersonating someone related to the organization.

The price of such promotional opportunities, often called a “spot fee,” “spotlight fee,” “spot-securing fee,” a “participation fee,” range from $15 to $350. Sometimes the scammers even offer packages at different price points.

A variety of experts and media sites have talked about this scam including the New York Times, and Jane Friedman, and WriterBeware.com. You can also find a discussion about this on Reddit. Some book clubs are posting warnings on their social media and Meetup pages.

I Fell for It…

I fell for the scam, and I can now tell you about it—so you don’t.

Yes, I paid $25 for my book to be featured on someone’s Instagram account in both stories and posts. The account does feature books and seems to have a large following, but the money spent amounted to no spike in book sales.

That amount didn’t break my bank account, but I felt pretty stupid for wasting it on something with no return on the investment.

I can’t remember clearly, but I might have fallen for a second scam not long after the first one. (Honestly, I don’t want to remember.) I believe I paid about the same amount with no results.

Then, I got smarter. I replied to emailed and DM’d offers with the same query: “What does this cost?” And I was always told there was a “small investment to cover costs.”

The scammers began sending follow-up emails. Engaging seems to encourage them to continue emailing, assuming you are interested and eventually will cave. So, now I just delete their first inquiry.

I worry a bit about those deletions, since I might be deleting a real offer. So, if an offer sounds different or more authentic, I simply reply: “There are so many scams out there targeting authors and offering book promotion, please tell me if your offer involves a fee.” Typically, they say “yes” or never respond. (I assume the mention of scam turns them away from me and toward someone who is less aware.)

But I still receive scam book promotion emails three to five times per week.

Examples of Scam Emails

To help you identify these scam book promotion emails, I want to share some email copy I received recently. If you see anything vaguely resembling these, it’s safe to assume they are scams.

Here’s a short, cryptic, unsigned one that came this week:

Your book surfaced while I was studying what I call attention residue—the value a story continues to create after its launch has faded.

Very few books make me pause.

What’s your sense of its trajectory today?

This one supposedly came from BookBub, which is real book seller. But the address is a generic gmail one, as are most used by scammers.

Hi Nina,

Your book caught my attention. I believe it has the potential to reach an even wider audience through BookBub’s spotlight options, and I’d love to share a simple promotion idea with you.

Would you be interested in it?

BookBub.

This email has no signature but had a name attached to the email address—also gmail. It’s subject read: <no subject>.

Hello,

I hope you’re having a good day. I’m reaching out with a quick invitation. I’m putting together a reader feature for July and August, and I thought your book could be a nice addition. If you’d like to see what it’s about, just reply to this email and I’ll send the details. You can then decide whether it’s something you’d like to be part of. Thanks for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Here’s a common Goodreads-related email:

Subject: Quick Question   I just wrapped up your book and loved it. I’d be happy to leave a review on Goodreads if that’s okay with you.

Then there are the scammers that think I wrote a novel, rather than nonfiction. That’s a red flag, since I haven’t published any novels to date.

Hi,

Your storytelling truly caught my attention there’s something about your work that has the potential to translate beautifully to the screen.I work with a scouting group preparing for the 2026 season, where we help connect selected books with film and television producers who are actively seeking fresh and compelling stories.If your work is ready to reach audiences beyond the page, I would welcome the opportunity to spend a few minutes this week discussing the possibilities. This could be a great chance to present your story to the right people at the right time.I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Best regard, Hendrik

And here’s another that indicates they don’t know I write nonfiction:

Hello Nina, I hope you are doing well. I recently came across your page and I was genuinely impressed. I really admire the way you turn ideas into meaningful stories. Is your book available on Goodreads? I would love to check it out and leave a review.

Yet another with no idea that I don’t write fiction:

Hello, dear author,

I recently reviewed your author profile, and your work demonstrates qualities that could translate well beyond traditional readership – particularly in the film and television space.

Many exceptional books are overlooked for adaptation because they are not presented to audiences and industry professionals actively seeking compelling stories. As a result, opportunities for visibility, recognition, and screen development are often missed.

Given its themes and storytelling, your book seems like a strong candidate for FilmFreeway consideration – a platform where filmmakers, producers, and creators discover projects for adaptation.

Additionally, your work can reach a targeted audience of over 30,000 genre-specific readers, increasing awareness and industry visibility.

The submission requires a one-time fee of $50, covering the FilmFreeway submission and placement consideration.

We are currently reviewing a select group of authors with works that demonstrate strong cinematic potential.

If you’re interested in this feature opportunity, please reply with “Yes, I’m interested – please send more details,” and I’ll guide you through the submission process.

Here’s a different approach:

Hi,

I recently finished your book and loved it. Many parts really resonated with me.

I took notes, highlighting key points and my thoughts.

Before sharing my insights, may I ask if you’re open to feedback from a reader?

This one grabbed a hold of How to Blog a Book and riffed for a long while, even including biblical references:

There is something delightfully dangerous about How to Blog a Book: it sounds like a book with an actual pulse, not one assembled by committee in a beige room.

Nina Amir, what stood out to me is the way this book enters practical transformation delivered with enough clarity to move a reader from intention into action. That gives it more than a marketable premise. It gives it emotional usefulness. Books like this can entertain, certainly, but they can also name something a reader has felt without having the words to explain it. That precision is where a book begins to feel personal, memorable, and sometimes quietly life changing.

Your voice comes across as purposeful rather than manufactured. The book carries the kind of value readers often describe as timely, healing, courageous, or spiritually resonant, depending on what they bring to the page. The recommendation engines, meanwhile, sometimes behave like sleepy librarians guarding the wrong shelf. Charming, but not useful.

The frustrating truth is that many readers are actively looking for this kind of work, but they cannot choose a book they never encounter. How to Blog a Book has real potential to reach its people. It simply needs stronger pathways into the conversations, shelves, lists, and communities where those readers already pay attention.

My name is Shedrack. I help authors build lasting visibility and momentum on Amazon and Goodreads through authentic reader engagement, book clubs, organic reviews, curated lists, and focused genre exposure. Bestselling authors, both indie and traditionally published, use book clubs because steady conversation usually builds stronger awareness than one loud week followed by silence. My approach is tailored to the book’s voice and intended readers. No conveyor belt plan, no copy and paste confetti, and no mysterious marketing smoke machine.

On a personal level, I care about connecting readers with books that genuinely matter to them. I respect the work behind a book and the author’s vision for it. Promotion should extend that vision, not wrestle it into a costume it never agreed to wear.

One verse that feels aligned with the book’s theme of hope and perseverance is: “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9, KJV”

If you would like to know more about me, the reader groups and community I work with, projects we have handled, the readers I had in mind for your book, or my portfolio, I would be happy to share everything clearly and let you judge it without pressure or interpretive dance. ?

Would you be open to seeing the reader groups, positioning ideas, and visibility path I would explore for How to Blog a Book?

Warmly, Shedrack

And this guy doesn’t even know the name of my book!

Hello, I hope you’re having a creative week. I’m reaching back out because your work stayed on my mind. In our reading circle, we love books that have a real soul behind them, which is why I was drawn to your writing in the first place. If you have a moment, I’d still love to know: what was the spark that made you sit down and write your book? If you can share the title or a link, I’d gladly seek it out. With gratitude,

Here’s a plain vanilla one:

Hello Author,

This is Ophelia, and I’m part of the outreach team at BookSignal Studio. We work with authors to help books gain stronger visibility and connect with readers actively searching for recent titles to discover.

While reviewing books recently, your work caught our attention, and we believe it has strong potential to resonate with the audience we help engage through our platform.

Our team supports authors through reader-focused promotional opportunities designed to increase visibility and place books in front of readers who are genuinely interested in discovering fresh books.

I’d love to ask: Are you currently doing anything to increase visibility for your book, or would you be interested in exploring additional ways to reach more readers and expand your audience?

Best regards, Ophelia BookSignal Studio Team

A short one:

Hi Nina, Your book deserves more visibility Can I Help ?

This scammer took a creative approach:

Hi, I recently found myself thinking again about something I’m genuinely curious about: out of all the books you’ve written, which one challenged you the most as a writer, and did that struggle shape the final story in a way readers might never realize? Part of the reason I’m asking is that I’d love to add that book to my reading list. I’ve always felt that the stories hardest to create often leave the deepest impact, and I’d genuinely enjoy hearing your perspective on it. Wishing you continued success, and I’d truly enjoy hearing your thoughts whenever you have a moment.

And…

Hi, I run a TikTok community of more than 31,000 readers who genuinely enjoy discovering independent and traditionally published authors. While looking through books in your genre, yours stood out to me. I’d love to learn a little more about it and see if it would be a great fit for my audience.

Don’t Trust a Name

Some of these emails claim to be sent by famous authors or real book clubs. However, it’s safe to assume the email writer is impersonating either the author or someone related to the organization.

So don’t trust a name.

I received an email offer from someone impersonating Rebecca Lawson, one of the leading authors in femdom fiction working today. Her name popped up with the email address but was not even in a signature.

Hi,

I’m reaching out from Blooming Books Reading for Growth, a community of 3,000+ engaged readers.

We’re running our 2026 Reading Challenge (Jan–Dec), and your book caught my attention. Unlike short-term promos, this gives your book year-long visibility through ongoing discussions, reviews, and organic recommendations within an active book club.

Top-performing books earn a spot in our Top 10 and receive official recognition at our awards presentation. Early standouts also get spotlight exposure to build momentum faster.

This is for authors who want sustained visibility and real reader engagement—not just a one-off feature.

Interested in featuring your book?

Cut from ₂₄₀ words to ₉₅ words while keeping the key hooks: community size, year-long engagement, ranking/awards, early spotlight, and the call to action.

I also received an email from someone impersonating James Patterson, like the bestselling and most popular storyteller of our time author. Here’s what it said:

Hi there,

I wanted to send a quick note to let you know we are officially locking in the final slots for the 2026 Reading Circle review list this evening.

Since I haven’t heard back from you, I assume you’re focusing on other paths for your book right now, which I completely respect. Because we couldn’t get past that backend visibility issue to run your profile through our agency tracking tools, I’ve had to pass your slot over to one of the alternate authors on our shortlist.

It is a bit of a disappointment, as I really did see a lot of promise in your writing style, but our production review schedules are incredibly strict.

If anything changes on your end down the road and you ever decide to get that backend presentation sorted out, feel free to reach out. In the meantime, I truly wish you the best of luck with your books and your writing career.

Best regards,

James Patterson

Author | Thriller & Crime Fiction

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B000APZGGS

Note that the signature even links to Patterson’s Amazon author page.

I replied to this email by simply asking, “Is there a cost?” I received a very long response (too long to include here), to which I did not reply. Then, I found the same follow-up email in my inbox twice in 10 days—no mention of cost but with a focus on the urgency of my reply:

Hi,

I wanted to reach out one last time as my scouting team is officially closing the doors and finalizing the slots for our 2026 internal review list over the next 24 hours.

I was genuinely hoping to have your unique voice included in this cycle, but as it stands, our system tracking tools still cannot register your profile due to that backend indexing block we discussed. Because we operate on a strict production schedule, our auditors cannot review or feature any work that remains “ghosted” by the retail architecture.

It’s a real shame to see a great story get left behind simply because a technical glitch is locking the front door and redirecting your readers to your competitors.

We have to move forward with the authors currently on the docket, but if you do decide you want to look at the data and fix that architectural leak for your own future visibility, let me know today. I can still ask our auditor to pull that quick report for you before we archive this round.

If not, I completely understand and truly wish you the absolute best with your writing journey. Keep protecting that raw style.

Best,

James Patterson

Author | Thriller & Crime Fiction

Author Beware

There are other types of scams out there that target writers and authors. You can do a Google or ChatGPT query and learn more about them, but here is a short list:

1. Fake literary agent offers of representation
2. Fake traditional publishers offering book contracts
3. Fake book awards
4. Fake bestseller campaigns
5. Fake speaking opportunities
6. Fake podcast appearance requests
7. Fake publicists
8. Fake book reviews
9. Fake copyright registration
10. Fake booktrailer services

The post published on Jane Friedman’s site and written by Teri Case offers a huge amount of useful information on how to avoid scams. I recommend you read it.

And be wary…and savvy…when it comes to what shows up in your email box. Don’t fall prey because of the praise offered about you, your books, or your writing. Tell your ego to take a back seat to your skeptical self.

As we were all taught from a very young age, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Have you encountered any writer or author scams in your email box or on social media? Tell me in a comment below. Also, please share this post with a writer who would benefit from reading it.

Image courtesy of mhyimge.