Avoiding Indie Author Scams - What to watch out for
Scammers are getting smarter, but indie authors can stay one step ahead by spotting the red flags early. Let’s talk about how to keep your inbox—and your creative energy—safe from people who want to rip you off.
✍️ Why Indie Authors Are Targeted
Indie authors like us are often juggling writing, marketing, social media and
publishing all on our own. That makes us prime targets for scammers who know
we’re hungry for visibility, reviews, and opportunities. They swoop in with
offers that sound too good to take up, and it's easy to be fooled if you are overworked and busy.
• Over-the-top
flattery: “Your book is perfect for our award!” or “We hand-selected your novel
for our club.” If you never applied or submitted, it’s a scam.
• Fake
famous author outreach: A “big name” author emails you saying they love your
book. Spoiler: they don’t. Real authors don’t cold-email strangers.
• Pay-to-play
podcasts or interviews: Invitations to appear, but only if you pay a hefty fee.
• Bogus
review packages: Offers to flood your book with glowing reviews. Amazon and
Goodreads don’t allow this, and you’ll risk your account.
• High-priced
event invites: “Exclusive industry conference” tickets that cost hundreds.
Often, these events don’t exist.
• Metadata
audits and visibility reports: Scammers send confusing “diagnostics” claiming
your book is at risk unless you pay for fixes.
đź’ˇ Emotional Tricks They Use:
Scammers know authors are emotionally invested in their
work. They exploit that by:
• Hope:
Promising awards, recognition, or significant exposure.
• Urgency:
“Act now or lose readers!”
• Fear:
“Your account is at risk.”
• Confusion:
Overloading you with jargon-filled reports.
If you feel your emotions spiking while reading an email,
pause. That’s often the scammer’s hook.
• Check
credentials: Google the company or person. If they don’t exist online, that’s
your answer.
• Be sceptical of unsolicited offers: Real opportunities usually come through channels you’ve applied to and are trusted.
• Don’t
pay upfront: Legitimate services are transparent about costs and contracts.
• Lean
on trusted communities: Groups like the Society of Authors or the Authors Guild
regularly post scam alerts.
• Remember
the golden rule: If it feels too good to be true, it probably is.
🌟 Final Thoughts:
Being indie means wearing many hats, but it doesn’t mean you have to face scammers alone. Stay sharp, trust your instincts, and keep your focus on what really matters—your writing. The best defence is a mix of scepticism, community support and blocking.
Community Support:
https://writerbeware.blog This is a website that lists the latest author scams and shows screenshots of the messages and approaches that scammers are using and how to avoid them. I have found this site extremely useful.
STOP PRESS! One of the latest scams is where someone contacts you to request a PDF of your book, which they then post on a pirate book site. Thanks to historical fiction author Elizabeth Kelly for this warning.
Sources:
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