This author contacted Angela for advice about a scammer. Then, she courageously has agreed to share her story with all of us! 🙂

I just read the article about an elderly gentleman who was scammed by an illegitimate publisher. My story is similar, however, with a different publisher based in Pakistan. Unfortunately, I do not have the means to pursue this further, except to expose this scam through a platform such as yours.

In early September of 2024, I contacted The Book Professionals (TheBookProfessionals.com) through their website to inquire about publishing my memoir manuscript. They were happy to have my business, and immediately placed me in touch with their marketing manager, “Chris Morris.” He wasted no time advising me on the best and most expensive marketing and publishing packages available, and, for the benefit and success of my book, convinced me to opt for the costliest option: the Premium Package. Although I felt he might be taking advantage of my naivety, inexperience, and age, he smoothly persuaded me to trust his expertise and experience, and to move forward.

I made it clear that I did not have disposable income; I live on a fixed income, have good credit, and no savings. Chris repeatedly told me not to worry because authors don’t need credit cards; in other words, my royalties would give me plenty of money to live on. “Just trust me,” Chris kept telling me. Like me, he believed in God (or at least he said he did), and we had to think He would provide for us.

After two months, when I realized my book project was not advancing, and I was not being allowed to review the work I had paid for in advance, I began to doubt the legitimacy of the company. At this point, I had nothing to show for my time spent with the publisher: a phone call from Chris each morning, but deceit, unfulfilled promises, and an investment of over $40,000, which I had paid in advance for services that I never received.

My two adult daughters, recognizing the flaws in this arrangement, decided to investigate further, without my knowledge, including communicating with the FBI, which confirmed that this company was indeed on the FBI’s radar.

Ultimately, after reporting my predicament to the appropriate local authorities and the FBI, I am left owing over $25,000 in credit card debt. I have had to enter a debt relief program, which has detrimentally affected my previously excellent credit, not to mention my self-loathing and embarrassment. I am learning that these tactics are prevalent within the scammers in the publishing industry, and my experience is not isolated.

EDITOR’S NOTES ABOUT COMMON TACTICS USED BY THIS SCAMMER AND OTHERS:

• “Just trust me…” is a common scammer statement.
• They initially ask what your religion is, and then they pretend to be the same.
• They use fake American names. Many of them don’t understand English names, and use two English first names.
• You can find more common practices that scammers targeting authors use RIGHT HERE.

RELATED

• EXTREME WARNINGS about Times Book Publishing / TimesBookPublishing.com, World Publishing and Co, AND Ink Shelf Studios / InkShelfStudios.com
• Scammers Are Offering to “Help” Scam Victims Get Refunds…For a Fee, of Course
• Amazon KDP Continues to INFURIATE (and TERMINATE) Authors!
• DON’T MISS THIS ONE! Genre Library Solutions / genrelibrarysolutions.com Tries to Trick Us Into Removing Our Warning About Them; Gets Caught Committing Additional Fraud Instead!!!
• “Celebrity Author” Impersonators Are Fooling Unwary (Real!) Authors
• NEW SCAM! “Pay us $26K and we’ll stock 3,500 copies of your book in 150 stores!”
• 11 Ways to Know If a “Publisher” or Other Service Provider is an Overseas Scammer (You’ll probably only need to check #1 to prove it!) – by Angela Hoy, Publisher
• Episode 1 of the WritersWeeklyPodcast: “In Just $299” – Publishing SCAMS You Need To Avoid!! Part 1
• Episode 2 of the WritersWeeklyPodcast: “In Just $299” – Publishing SCAMS You Need To Avoid!! Part 2
• Episode 7 of the WritersWeeklyPodcast: 9 New and Nasty Scams Targeting Authors

Janet Ruiz Martin-McCoey, 83, published her first book, a memoir, in January 2025 (not with the company named above!), titled “Sudden Death, Grief, and Miracles: How to survive after loss.” Her story is one of resilience and fortitude as she faced many losses in her life, especially those of her 16-year-old son and 12-year-old grandson. She formed and led a grief group for eight years, “Parents Sharing the Loss of a Child,” in conjunction with the Mental Health Association of Yolo County, in the early 1980s.