Ask The Expert

Recently Answered Questions:

Do NOT Work With Companies That Have Lovable.app in Their Website Addresses!

This author had NO IDEA she was talking to somebody in NIGERIA! Also, keep in mind that many scammers do own their own websites. Companies that use Lovable.app are what we call amateur scammers.

One of our authors contacted me, saying she was “working with a marketing agency.” She then asked me several questions that raised my suspicions, including insinuating that she wanted her book listings moved, and wanted a “transfer of distribution.” I knew right then that she had crawled into bed with a scammer.

We hear from authors all the time who’ve been approached by a “marketing company.” Some of them want to take control of the author’s books. Of course, the service is never free! Some of them also trick authors into thinking they need to pay to have their book(s) republished first.

I emailed the author back back: “What marketing agency are you using?”

She responded that she was working with Elle Blackmore at Author Rise Hub.

My hackles went up again. Do you how many overseas scammers have the word “Hub” in their names??? A LOT!!! For example, check out the one-star reviews on TrustPilot for Book Authors Hub / bookauthorshub.com! Remember to NEVER trust 5-star reviews on TrustPilot!

I responded to the author:

AuthorRiseHub.com is not a working website. Please advise.

I found Elle Blackmore on Fiverr but the link for her page on Google isn’t working:
https://www.fiverr.com/author_rise_hub

(NOTE: As of this writing, on 8/11/26, that page no longer exists on Fiverr.)

The reason I’m asking these questions is because we are hearing from authors several times a day who were spammed by supposed “book marketers,” and who were then scammed.

One red flag is that her “company” doesn’t have its own website. That’s especially troubling for someone who claims to be a professional marketer. Real book promotion professionals have their own websites.

You never, EVER want to give one of those folks access to your Amazon account (or any other account). Scammers are taking control of authors’ Amazon KDP accounts and websites, and then changing the logins for both. Some also take control of the authors’ social media accounts. They then blackmail those authors who want control of their accounts again. However, those scammers take the authors’ money, and never give control back. They can also have the authors’ Amazon KDP royalties sent to a different bank account (the scammer’s account).

They also tell authors they must republish their book (when their book is already on Amazon). And, they charge fees to set that up. Of course, those scammers then control that Amazon KDP account.

Reputable marketers can promote your book without requiring you to republish your book.

How did Elle Blackmore initially contact you? And, what email address is she using?

Angela

The author shared my email with “Elle.” Elle was pretty ballsy, because she actually emailed ME!!!

——– Forwarded Message ——–
Subject: [BOOK TITLE AND AUTHOR NAME REMOVED BY WRITERSWEEKLY]
Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2026 20:33:00 -0100
From: Elle Blackmore <info.elleblackmore@gmail.com>

Dear Angela,

How are you doing? I’m aware of the conversation between you and [author name removed]. That’s why I decided to reach out to you and take the time to look into this matter.

I completely understand and appreciate your concerns. Unfortunately, the publishing industry has seen an increase in fraudulent marketers and scams targeting authors, so I respect your diligence in protecting [author name removed] and her publishing interests.

My name is Elle Blackmore, and I have been assisting [author name removed] in reviewing her Amazon presence, author platform, and discoverability opportunities for [book title removed]. My involvement is limited to helping her better understand her current publishing situation and identifying ways to improve the book’s visibility to readers. At no point have I requested ownership of [author name removed]‘s publishing rights, royalties, or accounts.

In fact, I have consistently encouraged her to verify information independently and to proceed cautiously with any publishing-related decisions and expert outreach. The reason for my inquiry is simply to better understand the current distribution arrangement for [book title removed].

Since you have been involved with the book’s publication and distribution, I was hoping to gain a better understanding of: –

1. The current distribution arrangement for [book title removed].
2. What level of control [author name removed] currently has over the book’s Amazon publishing settings.
3. If [author name removed] ever wished to directly manage certain aspects of the book herself, what options would be available to her?
4, Is there a KDP account associated with the book? .

I appreciate your commitment to protecting authors and would be grateful for any clarification you can provide regarding [author name removed]‘s current publishing arrangement.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Elle Blackmore

I, of course, did not respond to “Elle.” Instead, I sent a copy of that email to the author, along with this:

Hi [author name removed],

I’m copying attorney James M. Walsh on this email.

I will not discuss your book with this person. Real marketing professionals (and all legitimate businesses) do not use Gmail. They have their own professional websites, and their email addresses include those domains. I sent you additional warnings in my previous email.

Per Google:

“Any email from info.elleblackmore@gmail.com is highly likely to be a phishing or impersonation scam. Scammers frequently use free Gmail addresses to impersonate real people, brands, or job recruiters, tricking victims into handing over personal information, sending money, or clicking malicious links.

“Key Red Flags & Scams to Watch Out For: Impersonation: Legitimate businesses and professionals almost always use custom, official domain emails (e.g., name@company.com) rather than a generic @gmail.com address.”

Additional information:

OPEN AND OBVIOUS DANGER! Gmail Email Scammers are Targeting MILLIONS of Authors! By James M. Walsh, Esq.

How I Was Scammed Out of $13K by “8 People” Using Gmail Email Addresses By M.M. Lorenzo

THE IS THE FOLLOW-UP EMAIL SENT TO FROM “ELLE” TO THE AUTHOR:

———- Forwarded message ———
From: Elle Blackmore (info.elleblackmore@gmail.com)
Date: Wed, Jun 17, 2026 at 9:16 AM
Subject: Re: Answer

Thank you for your honest message.

First, I want to apologize for not directly answering your questions earlier. You absolutely deserve answers, especially given the experiences you’ve had in the past.

I completely understand why Angela’s comments would concern you. If I were in your position and had previously been scammed, I would also want to verify who I was working with before moving forward.

Regarding how I found your book, I discovered [book title removed] through one of the book lists on Goodreads Listopia. Part of what I do is research books and authors that may benefit from increased visibility and discoverability, and when I came across your book, I felt there were opportunities to help strengthen its presence.

You also asked about my online presence. I work under the Author Rise Hub umbrella. Their website is currently still under development, which is why it is not yet fully established. However, you can view the current version here:

Author Rise Hub: https://authorisehub.lovable.app/

You can also find me on social media here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/author_rises/

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584985463069

Authors, NEVER do business with a company that has their “website” on the free service, lovable.app. That is a hotbed for scammer activity. The Author Rise Hub “website” is based on a template. It looks extremely similar to other scam websites we’ve exposed.

Read this:
Cybercriminals Abuse AI Website Creation App For Phishing

Here are more red flags:

She was corresponding with the author in June (almost two months ago), but AuthorRiseHub.com still isn’t up.
I clicked on her Instagram profile, and it says she (more than likely a he!) is located in NIGERIA.
The Facebook link no longer works. Perhaps too many people complained about her spamming them.

I dove deeper. One of their featured books is “Whispers of the Infinite” by “Bestselling Author” (ha ha ha!) Mary E. Shaver. I clicked on the cover and this popped up:

Featured book cover designed and promoted by Author Rise Hub

That’s interesting because that book is NOT on Amazon. I searched Amazon for three other books that are on their website, and NOTHING came up for those, either. Kinda hard to “promote” a book when it doesn’t exist, Author Rise Hub!

And, what a RIDICULOUS company name!! We see stupid companies names from lots of foreign scammers.

KEY TAKEAWAY:

If somebody contacts you who is using a free website hosting service like Lovable.app, and if they are spamming you using a Gmail email address, block them!

ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT SPAMMERS ARE SCAMMERS!

For book promotion, we highly recommend Clayton Jones. BookLocker authors rave about him! 🙂

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