Avoid Publishing Scams

They Want Your Money, Not Your Work

by Rochelle Melander

The scams hit my inbox at a rapid rate. Publishers wanting to put my ideas into print. Book groups and libraries asking to host me. Promoters promising they can get my book in top spots on Amazon.

Promotional Scams

When I got a message asking to promote my work, I was flattered. The first message asked to feature me in a post—for a small fee. The second asked me to speak to a book group. The third invited me to speak at a library—two days before the holidays. Each pitch was for a different book, some 25 years old. One was for the periodical I edit, The Word in Season, a quarterly devotional published by Augsburg Fortress. The letter invited me to participate in a “book talk” for this marvelous and inspiring book.

Then I got an invitation from a company to promote The Word in Season through a trailer. Here’s the opening:

Dear Rochelle Melander,

I recently came across The Word in Season, and I was immediately drawn to its thoughtful and meaningful approach to daily devotion. The way it weaves scripture, reflection, and prayer into everyday life creates a quiet yet powerful experience for readers seeking guidance and connection. …

As a Cinematic Book Strategist, I specialize in transforming meaningful works into short visual narratives that connect emotionally with viewers. While reflecting on your devotional, a 60 second trailer concept began to take shape. It captures the calm, reflective, and uplifting spirit of The Word in Season.

The sender then sketches out the trailer. And, honestly, it does sound inspiring.

But this, like the other invitations to share your book on social media or to have you speak to a book group: They’re all scams.

Writing Scams

Two years ago, I received a request to write an article about social media. The payment would be $6000. I was elated. I asked all sorts of questions about the topic and the audience, but the person hiring me focused on three things: getting me to sign a contract, receiving access to my cell phone number, and having me deposit a check in my bank account.

With every question I asked, she returned one: Did you receive the check? Can you deposit it today?

I’m grateful I did some research. The whole thing is a scam designed to get access to your bank account.

Publishing Scams

These hit hardest for those of us yearning to get our work published. They promise big results with a small investment. Sometimes they borrow the names of famous editors or writers to add legitimacy. Always, they’re asking you for money. The Author’s Guild has reported on people being scammed out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Most of the time, the scammers impersonate a big publisher and ask for money to edit, design, print, and distribute the book.

How to Detect a Scam

Is the offer from a famous author, agent, or press?

As a rule, publishers and agents do not reach out to writers. They’re swamped. Neither do famous writers like Margaret Atwood. When you get a pitch from a big publisher, do your research. Know that even hybrid publishers only send global marketing messages to writers. Some marketing agencies do reach out to advertise their work, but they’re usually not sending high pressure personalized messages. Instead, they send marketing messages to large groups of followers.

Are there fees?

A traditional publisher or agent will never ask for money to read or publish your book. A hybrid publisher will ask for money, but that’s the subject of a whole different article. And you rarely have to pay for a blog post or article in a traditional magazine.

Does it sound too good to be true?

Publishing is hard, especially now. Getting noticed is also challenging. If the offer sounds too good to be true, approach with caution. Review the company online. Examine the email address as well as the website. Can you find the name of the contact person on the real company’s website? When I got an invitation to speak at a library, I looked for the real library online. The URL was different from the phishing email, and the person who sent the email didn’t work at the library.

Do they want you to act immediately?

After working in publishing for 25 years, I know that publishers rarely work fast. Oh, sometimes there will be a quick turnaround for a contract or a revision. But for the most part, they move like a horse-drawn carriage—slow and steady. Scammers, on the other hand, benefit by grabbing your cash before you can figure out the scam. If they’re in a hurry, the answer is always no.

Get help

Sometimes you won’t know if the message you received is real. Ask a colleague, critique partner, or me to look at it. This is especially true if you receive an offer from a hybrid publisher or are exploring indy publishers for your book. As a coach with 25 years of experience in the publishing industry, I can support you in navigating the publishing journey. You don’t have to go it alone!

More Resources

I’m following these scams very closely. Here are a couple of good articles to help you.

+Over at Writers Beware, a blog you need to bookmark, there’s a helpful article about publishing scams: https://writerbeware.blog/2026/02/28/not-simon-schuster-deconstructing-an-impersonation-scam/

+My colleague Sandra Beckwith at Build Book Buzz has written a helpful blog post on promotion scams. Check it out: https://buildbookbuzz.com/author-marketing-scams-v-2026/