Scammers are Highjacking Authors’ Accounts, and Then Blackmailing Them!

Q –

I just read your report regarding Timesbook Publishing. I paid them to publish two of my books. We have a contract stating I have 100% copyrights to my books but now I’m being asked for my KDP, Facebook, and Instagram credentials, which was a major red flag to me. That’s why I started searching them and found you.

Is there anyway I can get my books from them so I can have a legitimate publisher publish my books? I paid them to do my illustrations for my children’s book. I’m a new author and these are my first two books.

What can I do moving forward? I consider the $8,000+ a loss but what choices do I have regarding getting my books? Thank you for your advice and help. I greatly appreciate it.

A –

Did they ever send you the illustrations? And, were they sized correctly, and 300 dpi?

Definitely do NOT give them your login credentials to any site whatsoever!!!

One of the foreign scammers recently hijacked an authors’ websites after she gave them access. She can’t get her websites back and they are trying to extort/blackmail money from her to give her access again (which they never will anyway). She’s now out of business.

UPDATE:

The author sent me two of the illustrations. First, they were clearly AI generated. Second, there is no bleed on the images so they can’t be used for printing. Essential parts of each illustration would get cut off. They’re worthless.

She needs to find a legitimate publisher that IS located in the U.S., and that isn’t a scammer.

And, she can find a vetted, REAL illustrator RIGHT HERE.

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