I am delighted to see more and more authors joining literary agents, publishers, booksellers and editors in the campaign through articles on their websites and social media to educate the public about the risks presented by fraudsters at work in the industry.
It may feel like a brave thing to do, attracting attention, but the more of us that support it, the more we limit the power of the scammers, many of whom impersonate people working within the publishing industry and need our support.
Scammers can be plausible so are difficult to spot and I am sure that genuine people pitching for work will be finding themselves wrongly branded as scammers. As I have said before, they are as much victim as anyone.
So, in my latest article on the subject, I have pulled together some of the advice that is out there, including the red flags to look out for, including people stealing the identity of genuine agents, authors, publishers etc to either con you into paying for so-called services or find a way into your bank account.
I have added material taken from own experience. What experience? I hear you say. Well, over recent times I fell for at least one, possibly two, cons in which I believed scammers were genuine industry professionals who could support my career (I was very impressed by one until I searched for them on the web, tracked down their real email address and contacted them, rather than using the one my contact used. The result? The real agent said in the nicest way possible that they had never heard of me!
Embarrassing because, as a journalist, I wrote about the subject for twenty years and, as a result I am suspicious as hell yet even I still did not spot them at first.
So, apologies to those genuine people who try to convince me that they are real. As I have said before they are victims, too.
So, some top tips from various sources;
Warning Signs
Unsolicited Contact: Scammers often reach out unexpectedly via phone, email, text, or social media. If you weren’t expecting the communication, be suspicious and verify the source independently before responding.
Sense of Urgency: Scammers pressure you to act immediately, panicking you into making mistakes like paying or transferring money, or providing information to avoid fines, arrest, or missed opportunities. Stop and think before you do anything.
Request for Sensitive Information: Scammers may ask for Social Security numbers, bank details, passwords, or other personal data. Legitimate people and companies will not do that so don ‘t!
Too good-to-Be-True Offers: Too good to be true? Then it is!
A sense of isolation: Scammers may instruct you not to tell anyone or to lie to others, attempting to cut you off from advice or verification. Seek advice from someone you trust. Time for a cup of tea, preferably with a friend or colleague who will usually see through the scam. Mine is blunt of speech and not afraid to tell me not to be stupid! It helped to clear my head.
Suspicious Payment Methods: Requests for wire transfers, prepaid debit cards, or gift cards are common scam tactics. Use secure payment methods like credit cards or debit cards through online banking if you do part with money for services.
Poor Quality: Look out for emails or messages with spelling mistakes, unusual grammar, or suspicious sender addresses – although some are very slick, making spotting them even more difficult.
So, to recap, here are some practical steps to protect yourself
Verify the Source: Contact the organisation/person directly using official contact information to confirm legitimacy
Do Not Click Suspicious Links
Trust Your Instincts: If something feels not quite right, pause and investigate before taking action
If in doubt hang up, delete, block emails and contact the organisation/person yourself to let them know that someone is using their identity.
Report Scams: Notify authorities, your bank, consumer protection agencies, the police if you encounter a scam attempt or seek out the official Government-backed organisations – See Reporting fraud – Stop! Think Fraud
By staying alert you can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to scammers and make their lives more difficult.
John Dean - Crime Writer 