Are Writers Uniquely Vulnerable to Scams?

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Are Writers Uniquely Vulnerable to Scams?

I doubt it. Why would writers be special? However, here is a post by Victoria Strauss at Writer Unboxed: Are Writers Uniquely Vulnerable to Scams?

First, maybe Victoria Strauss has that impression because she sure sees a lot of scams aimed at writers and no doubt hears absolutely endless stories from or about writers who got scammed. Second, who knows, maybe aspiring authors are more vulnerable than average for some reason? It seems unlikely, but maybe?

Oh — my first impression was right. Here’s how Victoria starts this post:

This is a question that sometimes comes up when I do interviews. Writer Beware has been in operation for more than 25 years, yet it’s still so busy. There seem to be so many scams that target authors. Are writers somehow more vulnerable to fraud than other creatives?

In my opinion, no.

Writing scams aren’t unique. There are similar frauds in every creative industry. Headshot scams for models. Talent agency scams for actors. Representation scams for illustrators. Pay-to-play venues for musicians and artists. They may not be as numerous as writing scams, but they are widespread, and they use the same tricks and techniques to lure and ensnare victims.

This makes sense to me. I just could not see why hopeful authors would be more vulnerable than hopeful Fill In The Blank. Victoria then answers the question: Why are there so many scammers that prey on aspiring authors? And of course this is for the same reason lions stroll around in the Serengeti: because predators go where the prey is found. There are A LOT of hopeful would-be authors, far (FAR) more than hopeful concert pianists, because a hopeful concert pianist needs a piano, while hopeful would-be authors don’t need anything except a computer, and they’ve got that.

Victoria Strauss answer this question the same way, minus the reference to the Serengeti:

WHY ARE THERE SO MANY WRITING SCAMS, THEN?

Because … there are so many writers.

Other creative pursuits have boundaries and requirements that create bars to entry. Musicians need training, not to mention instruments. Actors and singers may have limited venues in which to practice their craft … Painters and sculptors need often-costly materials … But writing: writing is just words. Everyone has those. If you can speak, you can write, and all you need to follow your impulse is an idea and a computer, or pen and paper if you prefer.

Exactly. That’s why.

Victoria then identifies four lures used by scammers: the lure of the shortcut, the lure of easy money, the lure of flattery, and the lure of hidden knowledge. More on each at the linked post, but obviously this is true. Those are the four lures we see again and again, in all sorts of scams, from Goodnovel exclusive contracts, to “publishers” like Spines who basically brag about the con they’re planning to run, to the more ordinary scammers who promise to distribute your charming memoir to 40,000 bookstores worldwide for the low, low price of $500 — it goes on and on.

Her suggestion: Be aware that scams exist.

Seems like a no-brainer. Evidently Victoria sees a lot of victims who really did not know that the ocean is filled with sharks.’

I do get scammer emails periodically, mostly in the fairly harmless end of the spectrum (Would you like to pay $5 for us to advertise your book on Facebook?) This is ineffective, but if an author says sure, then so what? Paying $5 is pretty trivial. I see a lot of questions on Quora that indicate $500-$5000 are not uncommon losses, and that’s not at all trivial.

Here’s a post about a persistent, persuasive book promotion scammer.

I wrote this post specifically to warn others to, well, Writer Beware! It doesn’t matter if they have what looks to be a robust social media presence. (My teen-age daughter tells me you can buy thousands of followers for ten bucks). It doesn’t matter if they seemingly have glowing recommendations from best-selling authors. It doesn’t matter if they promise you fame, fortune, and, most importantly, book sales. It doesn’t even matter if they spend so much time cajoling you that you start to think they must be legit – how else could they afford to waste so much time on sales?

They are not legit. They are liars and they are scammers.

I might have been approached much the same way; I’m not sure because I’m suspicious and always simply delete any email from any source purporting to be a promotion service.

Legitimate promo services: Start here. And here.

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