Are you being scammed too?

[Dave Rosenthal]

Is it just the Read Street blog, of does everyone get these bizarre requests? A week or so ago, I noted that a publicist had sent me a some pre-packaged blurbs, just in case I didn't have time to write my own review.
Now, my blogging partner has received an email from the author of a kids book who is "willing to pay $175 in advance for a short, one paragraph review… 10-15 minutes work, total, if you can scan and read fast. ... The idea to write the book came to me in a dream to help children, after my leg was amputated in an automobile accident.
"It is my Christian dream to donate a large sum of money to charity ... I am also planning to give and distribute 85% of my own share of the profits to four charities: Autism of America- Blind Children Action Fund of America- America’s Children Hunger Fund – Children’s Wish Foundation International. I will personally keep only 15% ... "
I guess this is a new spin on the email solicitations from Nigerian investment advisers.

[avisannschild]

Wow, I've never seen this type of request before. That's really bizarre!

[pussreboots]

I've had requests for "paid" blog posts that were scams but they weren't in the form of a book review request.

[Callista]

Yeah right. $175 for a ONE paragraph review? Hardly.

[Kristen M.]

I got an email the other day from an author who was letting you read a chapter of her book "for free" online and then was doing gift card giveaways for anyone who then went out and got her book and reviewed it. This was sneaky but fine until the part where she asked for you to give up the email addresses of five to ten acquaintances. That really bothered me and made sure I will stay away from this author's works.

[Kate Pinn]

Wow, I've never had that. The spam emails I get are usually either from Nigerian banks, someone telling me that I haven't collected my post :S, someone telling me they need funds to get out of a country or to help some religious thing (I've never read the entire email).

The scam emails I get always have some sort of injury e.g. they have an amputation or are widowed. $175 for a paragraph, haha! That is really strange though.

[Harvee Lau]

The only Nigerian prose I'll respond to is Purple Hibiscus, a novel by an award winning Nigerian woman.

[Stacy-Deanne (Novelist)]

Hi Dave,

I hate it when people try to use charity and being Christian to make people feel sorry for them and get their books. Also, them bribing your buddy is pathetic and if they do this to others they will quickly get a reputation of being unprofessional. Any real author knows you NEVER pay for a review. If you start paying then what's the review worth? Nothing.

I not only get scam letters but many spam letters too, LOL! The other day I got an email from a so-called publicist who wanted to lend me their services for a price of thousands. Why they thought an author would be dumb enough to go with a publicist (they don't know) and who just spams folks out of the blue is beyond me. I get tons of stuff from other authors, editors and scam-publicists. I guess that's the risk, LOL.

Best Wishes!

http://www.stacy-deanne.net

[Jo-Anne Vandermeulen]

I just got off the phone, chatting with another author who's been scammed for big $$$. GRRRRrrrrrr I'd like to do something about these people.

I wrote an article for authors/writers...Scams - Beware of the Swarming Sharks

Trust takes a long time to gain and a second to lose.

I know—I’ve been burned. Thankfully, I turned to the Internet and Googled myself silly. While on the world wide web (www), I discovered there are so many of us that are supportive and in the same boat...

http://gr5mom2.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/scams-%E2%80%93-beware-of-t...
Enjoy!

Jo-Anne Vandermeulen
Internet Promotional Manager Professional Support Network for Writers
http://www.premiumpromotions.biz/ http://www.gr5mom2.wordpress.com
*You Write – We Promote* *Conquer All Obstacles*

Follow me on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/prempromotions