How to Identify and Protect Yourself from Scams After Publication
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After months of writing and editing, you’ve finally done it. You’ve published your book. You’re over the moon, of course, and eager to see your labour of love succeed.
Then, an email arrives from an agent in Los Angeles, claiming your story is perfect for a film adaptation. After some back and forth, she says you’ll urgently need to pay some fees upfront before you start working together. The price seems a little steep… but this opportunity is too good to pass up.
After paying, communication lines go cold. Your investigation reveals no agency website or professional profile –- only forum threads from dozens of authors who received the exact same pitch from the exact same agency
Uh-oh. You’ve been scammed.
Once you publish your book, you’re likely to receive at least a few messages like the one from that so-called LA agent. Though real, legitimate people with good intentions might reach out to you, it’s key that authors (particularly new authors) know how to delineate between a valid opportunity and an unsavoury scam attempt that comes from unscrupulous actors.
This blog post will help you do just that: first, we’ll dig into how to spot common post-publication scams and predatory promotional offers. Most importantly, we’ll give you actionable tips and advice for protecting yourself (and your book). Let’s get into it.
Identifying Common Post-Publication Scams: What to Watch For
Post-publication scams take a variety of forms, but as a self-published author, you will most often encounter unsolicited messages promising an easy shortcut to massive success. Usually, scammers will flatter you with lavish (but generic) praise about your book while emphasizing their ability to help you reach a wide audience.
Scammers often pose as well-connected industry insiders or representatives of prestigious organizations. Their "offers" vary, but often include:
Film adaptations or media rights deals.
Interviews on programs with "thousands of subscribers."
Exhibition space at popular book fairs or speaking engagements.
Direct entry into exclusive book clubs or specialized SEO help.
Guaranteed "bestseller" status through vague marketing tactics.
Occasionally, a scammer may reach out with an offer for a free consultation or, in rare cases, even offer you money. While these appear to be risk-free transactions, they are almost always the "hook" for a larger scheme designed to eventually defraud you.
You should be highly skeptical whenever someone reaches out to you out of the blue. If you ignore the warning signs – unsolicited outreach, promises of easy fame, and excessive flattery – there is a real risk that these actors will take your money and disappear. Unfortunately, if that happens, it is nearly impossible to recoup your losses.
The Trap of “Pay to Play” Media
You’ll also likely encounter offers that may not technically be considered “scams” (meaning the service is actually delivered) but are nonetheless predatory in nature. It’s best to avoid such offers so that you can save your time, energy, and money for marketing strategies that actually bear fruit.
Predatory promotional offers can be harder to identify than outright scams because the people who make them will have a public history of rendering the promised service. It’s a plus that they don’t disappear with your money, of course – but it’s a problem when they exaggerate the value of the service, overcharge you, or charge you for something that shouldn’t cost money.
One common predatory promotional offer is what we might call “pay to play” media. Here’s an example:
Let’s say that you receive an unsolicited message from someone who produces video interviews with newly self-published authors. He uploads the videos to his YouTube channel, which has tens of thousands of subscribers. If you’re interested in connecting with this large audience, an interview will cost you several hundred dollars.
After a bit of research, you see that the producer’s YouTube channel does in fact exist and that he’s done hundreds of interviews with other authors. The number for his subscribers also matches what he said.
However, upon closer inspection, you notice that most of the videos have only a few dozen views — even the ones that were posted years ago.
Clearly, the producer has overstated the actual reach of his show. Even if we admit the possibility that his subscribers are real people (and not just bots), it makes sense why a pay-to-play program like this one yields such paltry results. Why would anyone follow a channel whose content is basically uncurated? Who could the program’s target audience possibly be if the only criterion for inclusion is whether the guest has paid for an appearance? Obviously, you’re not going to connect with your readers through an appearance like this.
Another reason why you should avoid paying for such an interview is that legitimate media outlets will work with you free of charge – provided you successfully pitch yourself as a desirable guest.
Media appearances are supposed to be a mutually beneficial partnership: you give the show valuable content that helps it retain and grow its fan base, and the show gives you exposure to their audience. There’s no monetary transaction here. Real shows usually have funding or sponsors to help them meet their financial needs, and even fledgling ones without funding or sponsors will host guests for free since their goal is to create content that will grow their fan base. And usually (especially if you’re starting out as a self-promoting author) you’ll need to be the one to take the initiative to make contact.
Paid Retailer Reviews and Influencer “Shoutouts”
Similar predatory tactics are common regarding reviews and social media growth. You may be approached by "influencers" offering to review your book on Amazon or post about it to their thousands of followers for a fee.
There’s no point in trying to game the system on Amazon or Goodreads. It would take an immense amount of reader reviews to make an impact on their algorithms, and testimonials are just one factor among several (such as sales velocity and conversion rates) that they use to determine product visibility and recommendations.
There’s also a good chance that most of the followers of those popular social media accounts are bots. Red flags include an identical format for every post and engagement rates that are consistently very low (under 1%) or very high (over 25%).
As with media appearances, you can obtain reviews for free if you put in the necessary work. Regularly remind your buyers and followers to leave a review of your book, and make connections with new readers by creating content, engaging with other users, and participating in relevant groups. These are strategies that will help you obtain reviews from people who are genuinely enthusiastic about your book and who will also promote it by word-of-mouth.
Likewise, it shouldn’t cost any money to gain exposure via influencers. If you can create genuine connections with these people, they’ll be more likely to mention or endorse your book to their followers. Search for users who have a sizable following among your target audience, and spend time cultivating your relationships with them.
Generally, the only case in which it makes sense to pay for a review is if you’re hiring a professional review service with a stellar industry reputation, like Kirkus Indie Reviews or Foreword Clarion Reviews. Similarly, if you’re interested in paying for exposure on social media, you’re better off advertising directly through the platforms, where you’ll have full control over your marketing campaign.
Predatory promotional offers can be just as financially detrimental as outright scams, so disregard anyone trying to sell you services like the ones mentioned above. Otherwise, you’ll end up spending a lot of money for little results.
How To Protect Yourself
If you receive an unsolicited message from someone offering a service like those described above, it’s usually best to mark the message as spam or to ignore it entirely.
If, however, you think it might be worthwhile to investigate the proposal, you’ll want to screen for a scam or a predatory promotional offer by utilizing the following vetting process:
Keep an eye out for lookalike email addresses or those associated with free, public domains rather than official company domains. For example: publishing@friesenpress.com is a legitimate sender, while friesenpress@mail.com is not.
Scan for typos and unprofessional communication
Never click on suspicious links — independently seek out the information in your web browser in a new window or tab
Look into self-publishing forums to see if other authors have flagged similar messages as scams
Review the sender’s website for professionalism
Assess the quality of the sender’s social media content
Read reviews and testimonials from past clients
Look up the company’s BBB rating and Google reviews
Research if the sender has a history of rendering the promised service and a track record of success
Consider whether or not the promised service is one that authors are typically required to pay for
Ask yourself if the promised service will actually put you in touch with your target audience
When in doubt, exercise caution. By doing your due diligence, you aren’t just avoiding scams – you’re protecting the integrity of your creative work.
You Are Your Best Advocate
In a crowded market, your unique voice is your greatest asset. Rather than waiting for a stranger to "discover" you, you have the power to introduce yourself to the world. Taking the initiative to pitch your book to programs, conferences, and reviewers ensures that you stay in the driver's seat. This proactive approach doesn't just prevent scams; it ensures that every partnership you form is one you’ve chosen because it aligns with your goals and audience.
Self-promotion may seem daunting at first, but it’s a skillset that grows with practice. When starting out, the best way to keep yourself motivated is to scale down your marketing efforts to a manageable level by focusing on your niche, setting realistic goals, and working towards them at a sustainable pace. In doing so, you transform “marketing” into “connection”.
Eventually, you’ll make meaningful connections with kindred spirits who genuinely care about your book and want to help you promote it. Eventually, your consistent efforts will create a snowball effect of momentum. And who knows – perhaps legitimate opportunities will begin to find you because you’ve built a foundation of real authority and a readership of genuine fans.
Remember that you wrote your book for real people, not for algorithms or "pay-to-play" schemes. By trusting your instincts and investing in your own growth, you ensure that when those big opportunities do arrive, you’ll be ready.
You’ve done the hard part — you wrote the book. Now, block out the too-good-to-be-true noise and share your book with the world, on your terms.
Justin Billows is a Book Promotion Specialist at FriesenPress, where he provides marketing guidance and develops promotional tools for self-published authors. Before entering his current role, he obtained a bachelor’s degree in English and a certificate in Editorial Skills. Outside of work, he enjoys reading books, listening to music, learning languages, and watching hockey (especially his local Winnipeg Jets).
