It is an unprecedented fraud invasion; a relentless and unbridled onslaught of Predators are seeking to scam you as an aspiring author. The latest act? Predators now bite twice with absurd promises to recoup money that authors have been scammed out of on the Internet, including on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and others.  These Predators are now posing as “recovery firms” and “law firms,” promising to recoup your swindled funds. Don’t fall for these relentless con artists! You will simply be adding insult to injury. And, these fake recovery snakes likely work for the same companies that are scamming authors with fake publishing, ghostwriting, editing, cover design, and other scam services!

The scam is virtually uniform and simplistic. The “recovery firm” or “law firm” inquires as to whether you have a paper trail for the fraudulent transaction. They’ll seek your personal information and bank account information with the sole objective of pilfering your money a second time!  Some may ask for an initial fee to initiate a claim.  Don’t do it!  Crypto recovery firms have taken almost 10 million from burned consumers between February 2023 – 2024. I’m sure that, with the volume of recovery scammers targeting swindled authors, their ill-gotten gains are similar. The number of fraudulent “recovery” scams is daunting.

In my estimation, victims act impetuously, fueled by anger (justifiably so), and driven by thoughts of evening the score, or exacting retribution (human instinct). Acting on impulse or emotion invariably leads to further trouble and additional financial loss. Hit the pause button! It is almost certain that your “law firm” or “recovery firm” is a fraud. Reputable attorneys and recovery professionals do NOT solicit clients under social media posts!

FACEBOOK PREDATORS KNOW NO BOUNDARIES

Acting with impunity, some recovery scammers have the unscrupulous temerity to use actual attorney names and their Bar number, which is a matter of public record). Angela Hoy and I have been focused on predators targeting authors (fake “publishers” and “publishing services”) but the scam “recovery firms” and “law firms” need to be addressed because they are filling social media with thousands of posts. Their systems look for the word “scam” and conversations about scammers and, BOOM! That group, post, or page is flooded with non-stop solicitations from scammers who simply want your bank account information, your credit card, your contact information, and even your social security number.

In your desperate attempt to try to get your money back, don’t have your identity stolen as well! And, the fact is, if you paid someone overseas, you’re never getting your money back, which we explain in Episode 7 of the WritersWeekly Podcast.

Beyond disheartening, Meta Platforms, Inc is fully cognizant that its platforms are deluged with fraud and corruption.  Moreover, Meta is accepting payment from these Predators in the form of advertising revenue, and profiting handsomely.  Their ill-gotten gains are no different than the Craigslist and Backpage scandals.  Moreover, in my opinion, Meta Platform Inc.’s conduct is in direct contravention of uniform unfair and deceptive trade practices laws nationwide.

I came across a Facebook advertisement that used the name of an actual attorney and his New York State Bar number.  The attorney is employed by the prestigious multinational law firm, Latham & Watkins, LLP.  I was flabbergasted.  I reached out to the law firm directly.  Here is what transpired:

Lathan & Watkins LLP:

An “entity,” Global Anti Scam Association (Lawyers & Law Firm), is using your venerated firm’s likeness exactly as you depict on your website. The ad is running on Facebook. I have communicated with “paralegal Linda” – her words, not mine – via Messenger.  She arranged for me to be contacted via WhatsApp by an individual representing himself to be Attorney Alan Rozen Porteny (NY Bar #547496).  WhatsApp = (828) 509-7470.

RESPONSE:

Hello James,

Thank you for contacting the Security Team of Latham & Watkins. This is a scam attempt. Our law firm does not use social media or messaging apps to solicit business for the firm. We suggest you stop communicating with the individual and report them to the platform’s abuse for scamming / phishing.

Thank you,

Travis Smith
Enterprise Security Analyst
Latham & Watkins

Latham & Watkins is a multinational law firm with annual revenues that exceeded 3 billion dollars in 2017. It was the first law firm to ever do so. It is not small potatoes. Yet, it is as vulnerable as you and I and they have a scam alert on their website.

Deplorable conditions on Meta Platforms, Inc. Authors beware !

REPORT AUTHOR FRAUD

FacebookPredatorHunters@gmail.com (Contact me directly.)

Angela@WritersWeekly.com (You know who she is.)

AuthorFraud@fbi.gov (This was set up by the FBI after a publishing scammers in the Philippines were arrested for defrauding Americans. They are currently sitting in a U.S. jail cell.)

LegalInvestigations@meta.com (Meta’s Legal Investigations Unit, which ghosted us weeks ago.)

jnewstead@meta.com (Chief Legal Officer, Meta Platforms, Inc., who ignores us as well!)

Criminal.Dvision@usdoj.gov (U.S. Department of Justice)

ic3.org (Internet Crime Complaint Center, FBI)

WriterBeware.org (Victoria Strauss has been exposing scams in the industry for years!)

RELATED

• The WritersWeekly Podcast – In EPISODE 7, we discuss this topic, as well as other scams the predators have recently devised
• A List of Publishers and Services That ALL Authors Should AVOID AT ALL COSTS!
• Why Some Authors Forget Their Common Sense in the Drive to Get Published – by James M. Walsh, Esq.
• 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!)
• FACEBOOK’S FRAUD FIASCO: How Facebook is Profiting From Scam Publishers Targeting YOU on Its Platform – by James M. Walsh, Esq.
• FRAUD ALERT: Why 5-Star Reviews on Trustpilot Can NOT Be Trusted – by James M. Walsh, Esq.
• Author Sells 60K Copies in 1 Week AND Testifies Before the U.S. Senate – by James M. Walsh, Esq.

JAMES M. WALSH, ESQ. is a former Navy JAGC officer and a recipient of the American Bar Association’s coveted LAMP Award for excellence in military legal assistance practice. A rolling stone, J.M. has globetrotted most of his adult life. After the military, J.M. pursued commercial real estate development, leasing, and asset management. He resides in Catania, Sicily. He spent almost twenty years in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Luzerne, Erie & Lackawanna Counties. His handiwork as an editor and author is interspersed throughout this novel. Leo A. Murray fondly refers to J.M. as his collaborative, literary ‘Coach’ or ‘Lieutenant.’ Agnes claims that he has gypsy in his heart and rabbit in his feet.

James’ thriller, Maximum Impact, written with co-author Leo Murray, was published by Abuzz Press.

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