DON’T MISS OTHER PARTS OF THIS SERIES!
EXTREME AUTHOR ALERT – PART II: 19 Signs You’re About to Get Scammed By a Foreign “Book Publisher”
YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE THE ONE BELOW!!!
EXTREME AUTHOR ALERT – PART III: How WritersWeekly Communicates Directly with Deceitful “Publishers” to Expose Their Appalling Practices
Scam: The intentional use of deceit, a trick or some dishonest means to deprive another of his/her/its money, property or a legal right. – Law.com
UPDATE: After this article was published, the company below threatened legal action, blocked me on Facebook, and then promised to remove the items from their website that were infringing others’ copyrights within 48-72 hours. Well, they did make some changes. They copied one of their own websites, TheGhostWriting.org!
Any company posting book covers they did not design (copyright infringement!), or posting fake employees, or posting anything fake at all is using “deceit (fraud!) to try to get your business. If you are trying to figure out if a company is being honest, this exercise is actually a lot of fun! Send me your results if you do! I have many more conversations like this to share with you in the coming weeks.
The bad part is that you’ll see the very worst of humanity come out. No matter what type of sob story you tell these pathetic “salespeople,” they will lie, lie, and lie some more. Even if you tell them you have sick children and a sick husband, etc., etc., there is no length they won’t go to in an attempt to get you to sign up!
After the step-by-step sleuthing instructions I provide below, I am including a conversation I recently had with one such bottom feeder.
Introducing this week’s piece of dog crap stuck to a shoe, Book Publishing HQ / BookPublishingHQ.com:
STEP 1: Check out the potential scammer’s Facebook profile
Now, take a close look at the Facebook page for Book Publishing HQ. Do you see the horrible syntax error? “For author?” Also, they are NOT the USA’s #1 Book Publishing company. NOT EVEN CLOSE! They use that lie to try to trick authors into thinking they are big and that they know what they’re doing. Let’s move on, shall we?
Step 2: Find their “address”
In this case, they have it on their Facebook Profile: 123 E San Carlos St. San Jose, CA 95112, San Jose, CA, United States, California
Kinda long, right? That tells me they could be foreigners because they don’t know how to list a U.S. address correctly. Now, let’s Google that, and take a peek using Google Street View:
That, my friends, looks like an apartment building. When I turn the street view around, what’s on the other side of the street is a parking garage
Step 3: Google the address further
Type the address into Google. You will often find a mailbox rental place at the address, or a “virtual” office. Virtual offices often let people use their addresses for a fee. In this case, it appears this is an apartment complex on a university campus. Doesn’t really matter. I also found someone at this address who offers private mailbox rentals. Coincidence?
Step 4: Find their URL on Facebook, and go to their website:
First, there will likely be glaring errors on the website. If you’re seeing syntax errors, that is a HUGE red flag that the website content was not written by a native-English speaker. We already saw such an error on their Facebook profile above (and you’ll see some in the chat I had with their rep below). So, I’m not going to dive into reading the text on their website. There’s plenty more to uncover there!
This is the book cover at the top of this “publisher’s” website. Go to Amazon yourself like I did, and see if you can find that book. You can’t!
You know why you can’t find it? Because that book doesn’t exist! But, when Googling the book title and author’s name, I found this:
IT’S A FAKE BOOK!!! Let’s take another look at that attractive woman in the photo from the top of their website. Any normal person would assume that is Tina Kang, the author of that book, and Book Publishing HQ’s author, right?
Well, now that you already know it’s a fake book, you know that ain’t Tina! But, who is she?
She’s a model!
IMPORTANT NOTE: If this company is so successful (remember, #1 in the U.S.!!!), why in the world do they have a fake book and a fake author at the top of their homepage? I know why. And, now you do, too! To try to trick you!!
Step 5: Browse two or three other books on their website to see if they really published them.
This is the first cover appearing on their website (underneath the fake one, of course). Check this out, and see if you notice the huge discrepancy before you read my next paragraph.
Do you see it? No? Look one more time. Here’s a hint. Check out the name of the author on the book cover, Kara Lawrence. Now, look at the name of the “author” who wrote that glowing review! Alissa Johnson!! Boy oh boy, did Book Publishing HQ really screw that up!!
Here’s the thing… There really IS a book with that title that was written by Kara Lawrence. And, the cover on the Book Publishing HQ site is NOT the correct cover for that book. This is:
For a company that is sooooo successful, they only have four other covers on their homepage. Here are three of them:
- The Fog Seller by Don Daglow was published by Sausalito Media LLC back in 2015.
- In Rage At Peace by Ruth Asphyxia is nowhere to be found on Amazon or anywhere else (I Googled it.)
- Find Some Joy Dammit by Jennifer Cramer-Miller is not on Amazon, nor anywhere else that I can find. There is a well-known author by that name. Her publisher is Simon and Schuster.
Step 6: Check out their “employees.”
As with Tina Kang above, Book Publishing HQ pulled models off of the Internet to make it appear those are their employees! Here’s just one example. His name is (cough) “Oliver Smith” (on the bottom left there).
Here’s a closer picture of “Oliver.”
Voila! When I did a Google image search on Oliver, look what I found!
Incidentally, I looked up Ethan Martinez and Noah Anderson. Noah is a model as well and Ethan has an identical photo on an AI website. Another thing to note is that “Ethan Martinez” is a man’s name and the photo above appears to be a woman.
Still not sure if you’re dealing with an honest company?
Step 7: Find their phone number and Google that, too
It’s usually on their Facebook profile, and may also be on their website. In some cases, these types of companies will have the same phone numbers as “other companies.” Of course, all of those companies are connected. If you’re lucky, you’ll end up with an entire list of them, under a variety of names, all using the same fraud techniques. When I googled Book Publishing HQ’s phone number, I found this:
Author Book Creators – Same phone number AND the same address! That company isn’t on bbb.org at all. It was created just three months ago, and the site’s registrar is hostinger.com, which has offices in Lithuania and Cypress.
If they’re so successful, why are they also doing business under a completely different name?
Also, when I googled the phone number, I found a page about them on bbb.org, and that listed a completely different address in a different state! The plot thickens!!
Incidentally, bbb.org says they’ve been in business for “10 years” but there are only only 7 reviews (all 5-stars, of course!), and all of those were just posted in August and September of this year. Anyway, back to the address listed on bbb.org:
I googled that address. Guess what? Nothing! That’s because there’s an error in the address above. You’ll see what I found when you view the “chat” I had with their scummy salesperson below. Incidentally, their website has a completely different address, in a different city and state, but, at this point, the red flags are already waving in my face so I’m not even going to bother looking that up.
Step 7: Look up their homepage on ICANN Lookup
Book Publishing HQ claims to be the #1 Book Publishing Company (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!) yet their website was created just 13 months ago. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. NEVER, EVER hire a publisher that hasn’t been in business for many years, and that doesn’t have an excellent reputation!
THE FINAL STEP: Engage the scammer directly, either through private messaging on Facebook, or through the “chat” box on their website.
Be sure to come up with a big, sad sob story, and see how far they will go to get money out of you. Below is the conversation I had with Book Publishing HQ on Facebook Private Messenger. I’m only posting one screenshot (this page is already going to be huge) but I am copying and pasting the actual conversation below that. My comments, in all caps and in bold, were NOT part of the conversation.
Here’s how to get them to start contacting you through Facebook Messenger. Ask them a question directly under one of their posts. The next salesperson in line will usually contact you right away through Facebook’s Private Messenger.
Here is the first screen from the chat on Facebook Messenger. It’s followed by the text of the conversation in its entirety.
Book Publishing HQ:
Hello ma’am,
Is there a problem, I think there is a misunderstanding.
You are confusing us for another company.
(NOTICE THE PUNCTUATION AND SYNTAX ERRORS IN HIS COMMENTS ABOVE AND BELOW.)
Me:
Where are you located?
Book Publishing HQ:
Austin, Texas
Me:
Business address?
Book Publishing HQ
581 Valley Dr, Austin, TX 78703
May I know if there is a problem?
(NOTICE THAT IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM THE ADDRESS THEY PROVIDED TO BBB.ORG. NOW IT’S “DRIVE” INSTEAD OF “LANE.” THERE IS NO VALLEY LANE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.)
Me:
That’s the address for the Department of Health and Human Services? What is the real address? It’s okay if you are located overseas.
Book Publishing HQ
You must have misread the google maps.
That is the only address.
(NOT TRUE! THEY HAVE OTHER ADDRESSES LISTED ONLINE.)
Me:
I’m looking at Google street view. It’s a government office with the government van parked out front. Where is your call center located? Or, do you work from home? This is the address you gave me:
Book Publishing HQ:
That is the address, the van might be there for another reason. Besides that you must see a big parking area, that is our office’s.
Me:
There is no sign showing your business. Google doesn’t have your company listed at that address. Where are you really located? I can only do business with honest people. I don’t mind if you are overseas but I need honesty to do business with you. I understand that some companies use U.S. addresses to try to attract authors. I honestly don’t care where you are but I need the truth to proceed.
Book Publishing HQ
I appreciate your effort in completing the homework regarding the company. The first step is to visit the state office to gather information about the Book Publishing HQ.
You will conduct thorough research on the Book Publishing HQ company, check its history and reputation on BBB and Trustpilot. Once you complete this, we would like to schedule a visit at our office location. During this visit, we can sign the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) is it okay for you?
(WHAT A CROCK OF YOU KNOW WHAT…)
Me:
You need an NDA just to publish a book through you? That’s kind of weird, wouldn’t you say? I have published 26 books. Nobody has ever asked me to sign an NDA? Did my previous publishers mess up?
Book Publishing HQ:
In any agreement between two parties, it is essential for it to be documented in writing to ensure trust and clarity for all involved, particularly in professional contexts. For instance, Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) are utilized to address trust issues, creating a win-win situation by safeguarding sensitive information and ensuring both parties feel secure in their dealings.
(NOW IT APPEARS HE’S COPYING AND PASTING FROM A SCRIPT…OR I COULD BE MESSAGING WITH A ROBOT AT THIS POINT.)
Me:
I’m not worried about you giving out my info., nor my manuscript (you seem like a reputable company) but, honestly (honest question, not trying to upset you), why does your company need an NDA for a simple publishing contract?
Book Publishing HQ:
We require an NDA to ensure that all commitments regarding the publishing of your book are documented in written form. Additionally, it helps maintain the privacy of your manuscript, ensuring that your content remains confidential and does not get shared elsewhere. It is our responsibility to protect your manuscript. However, if a client prefers not to sign the NDA and is confident in our commitments, we can proceed without it. Ultimately, it depends on the author’s preference.
(DID YOU KNOW THAT, IF YOU SIGN AN NDA, YOU COULD BE PREVENTED FROM POSTING COMPLAINTS ABOUT A COMPANY IN THE FUTURE?)
Me:
I won’t sign an NDA. What are the prices of your publishing packages?
Book Publishing HQ
Alright noted.
Let me share the publishing packages with you
E Book and print publication for just $299!
Includes:
Editing
Proofreading
Formatting
Cover design
ISBN and Bar Code
Distribution on one platform.
(IT IS TOTAL B.S. THAT THEY ONLY CHARGE $299 FOR ALL OF THAT! PROFESSIONAL EDITORS – NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS! – CHARGE FAR MORE THAN THAT TO EDIT JUST ONE BOOK!)
Book Publishing HQ:
E Book and print publication for just $799! ( 6 platforms )
Includes:
Editing
Proofreading
Formatting
Cover design
ISBN and Bar Code
Distribution on 6 platforms.
(I’M NOT BELIEVING THIS, EITHER!)
Me: (HERE COMES MY SOB STORY WHERE I’M SCAMMING THE SCAMMER! ALL OF MY KIDS ARE ADULTS.)
I have a poetry book. I have 6 kids. Two are special needs. I need to find a way to quit my job so I can take care of my kids. Can you do that with my poetry book?
Book Publishing HQ
Sure Angela.
We can help you out in this.
(POETRY IS ONE OF THE LOWEST-SELLING GENRES! WATCH HOW HE TRIES TO SELL ME THE MOST EXPENSIVE PACKAGE!)
Book Publishing HQ
I would like to recommend you the package with 6 platforms.
May I know what is the page number for your manuscript?
Me:
120
Book Publishing HQ
Alright that is a decent number of pages along with that poetry is one of the most favourite genres on Amazon.
(THAT IS A HUGE LIE!!!! ALSO, NOTICE HIS SPELLING OF THE WORD FAVORITE.)
Book Publishing HQ
May I know if you already have an account on amazon or any other book publishing platform?
Me:
Poetry is one of the most favorite genres on Amazon? FANTASTIC!! Can you send me a few examples of books you’ve published on Amazon that reached best seller status? 😃
Book Publishing HQ:
Sure Angela
Sorry for the late response, here are a couple of books, please have a look.
Hello Angela,
Did you have a look at these books?
Me:
I must be misunderstanding something. According to Amazon, your company did not publish those books.
Book Publishing HQ:
On Amazon these books have been published by us, if you see them on other platforms, those are not published by us.
The client wanted us to publish them just on Amazon.
(TOTAL B.S.!!!! THE FIRST BOOK WAS PUBLISHED BY PENGUIN. THE SECOND BOOK WAS PUBLISHED BY COUNTERPOINT.)
Book Publishing HQ
Yes actually you are right, the second link that I sent is of another book, not published by us.
The first one is published by us.
(AFTER THAT, I LET HIM KNOW WHO I REALLY AM, AND TOLD HIM I’D BE EXPOSING THEIR MISDEEDS IN WRITERSWEEKLY.COM).
More on Book Writing HQ:
Scam-Detector.com gives their website a “very low trust score.”
Check back next week for Part IV! 🙂
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HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.
ASK ANGELA!
Well, I haven’t had quite these experiences, but I constantly get calls for those wanting to promote my books of poetry which came out in 2008 and 2011, and haven’t even sold hardly 6 copies each!
Imagine also getting calls to turn one of them into film, my diary of a love affair “YOU, MY LOVE… a diary in verse.” Which actually could vaguely be feasible, were the book a best seller or me a famous person. Nonetheless, if they never did such with the once famous “THIS IS MY BELOVED,” (which has passed out of the modern generation’s mentality) — I’m not the fool they hope I am. And Walter Benton, now deceased and out of vogue, wrote far superior things than the vacuity they now laud as poetry today in most journals. So beware of those also wanting to take you to Hollywood.