'The Rise of Facebook Scammers'
Good Afternoon,
Fellow Readers and Authors,
I hope all of you had a great week, and you are ready for the weekend, wherever you are in this world.
This weeks topic has been fuelled by an unprecedented number of approaches from our friends on social media, and the deception they bring with them. I am referring to the ‘book promoters’, who I am sure you have all had dealings with at some point.
In the past few months, I have fallen prey to a worrying trend emerging on Facebook that is targeting independent authors. Fortunately, I am street wise enough not to have fallen for these insidious measures, and no money changed hands.
I have had the ethos for some time, that reputable promoters, do not need to message you, when you put up a post on Face Book. The ones that do, tend to work from a script, which is generally always the same. It leads me to believe they are probably all in the same office. Perhaps these flowery prose, over exaggerating your novel, emanates from one person in one office!
Well it should be easier for Interpol to find them at least.
Alleged book promoters, many appearing to operate from Nigeria, are now creating fake profiles by duplicating the identities of real, often well-known authors.
These impersonators then use these profiles to approach Indie authors like you and me. They first engage you in polite conversation, complementing you on your book. The conversation soon leads to a request for an Amazon link.
The irony for me is that every post I put up on Facebook already has these links on them. Either the requestor has impaired vision, or maybe, that’s it, they need an excuse to forward their link to you.
The link you receive for their book will of course match the senders name (the alleged author) and amazingly their book has more reviews than a MacDonalds quarter pounder.
The conversation then leads into, ‘my book promoter was pivotal in getting my book noticed.’ Really? The promoters details soon arrive on messenger, followed by a message from none other than the promoter themselves.
The first time this happened to me, the promoter shot their bolt, and actually message me before the alleged author had finished giving me their details. How fabulously ironic, they must have been psychic. Poor timing I would say, and unbelievable as they were probably sitting next to one another in the same office in Downtown Lagos.
What’s particularly alarming though, is the apparent inaction from Facebook. Despite multiple reports, takedown requests, and public warnings in writing communities, the fake profiles often remain active for weeks or even months.
Facebook’s automated moderation tools do not seem equipped, or even motivated, to address this specific type of impersonation. Especially when the affected accounts are not celebrities or mainstream public figures.
This problem is exacerbated by the fact that many indie authors are heavily reliant on Facebook groups, and these pages where they can market their books and network with other writers. These spaces have traditionally been valuable resources for community and exposure, but the infiltration of scammers has started to corrode trust and create confusion.
Writers are now forced to second-guess even the most benign messages from people who appear, on the surface, to be fellow authors.
Several members of the indie author community have taken it upon themselves to warn others by posting screenshots, naming fake profiles, and sharing their experiences in public threads. But without systemic intervention by Facebook itself, these grassroots efforts are limited in their reach and effectiveness.
It’s important for indie authors to remain vigilant. Here are a few ways to stay protected.
• Verify profiles by checking for consistent posting history, mutual friends, and profile longevity.
• Be sceptical of unsolicited offers for book promotion, especially those that demand upfront payment with little verifiable proof of past success.
• Use secure and vetted services for book marketing. There are legitimate agencies and tools available that can offer real value.
• Report impersonators promptly and document your reports to create a paper trail.
Until Facebook invests more resources into combating this specific form of identity-based scamming, indie authors will need to rely on their communities, and their own due diligence to avoid being victimized.
Link - https://tinyurl.com/msh8stw7
Back to less irritating items on the list of jobs to do, a quick update on the tour of Scotland.
All being equal, Vera2 and I are setting off on Monday.
The weather turned foul again over the past two days, and as keen as I am to set off, motorways and pouring rain are not an enjoyable combination.
Lets hope the weather man has next week advertised correctly!
In the meantime, thank you again for your support with all of my novels, it is much appreciated as always.
Stay safe, and keep reading and writing, and most of all, follow your dreams whatever they may be.
Best Wishes
AR
Fellow Readers and Authors,
I hope all of you had a great week, and you are ready for the weekend, wherever you are in this world.
This weeks topic has been fuelled by an unprecedented number of approaches from our friends on social media, and the deception they bring with them. I am referring to the ‘book promoters’, who I am sure you have all had dealings with at some point.
In the past few months, I have fallen prey to a worrying trend emerging on Facebook that is targeting independent authors. Fortunately, I am street wise enough not to have fallen for these insidious measures, and no money changed hands.
I have had the ethos for some time, that reputable promoters, do not need to message you, when you put up a post on Face Book. The ones that do, tend to work from a script, which is generally always the same. It leads me to believe they are probably all in the same office. Perhaps these flowery prose, over exaggerating your novel, emanates from one person in one office!
Well it should be easier for Interpol to find them at least.
Alleged book promoters, many appearing to operate from Nigeria, are now creating fake profiles by duplicating the identities of real, often well-known authors.
These impersonators then use these profiles to approach Indie authors like you and me. They first engage you in polite conversation, complementing you on your book. The conversation soon leads to a request for an Amazon link.
The irony for me is that every post I put up on Facebook already has these links on them. Either the requestor has impaired vision, or maybe, that’s it, they need an excuse to forward their link to you.
The link you receive for their book will of course match the senders name (the alleged author) and amazingly their book has more reviews than a MacDonalds quarter pounder.
The conversation then leads into, ‘my book promoter was pivotal in getting my book noticed.’ Really? The promoters details soon arrive on messenger, followed by a message from none other than the promoter themselves.
The first time this happened to me, the promoter shot their bolt, and actually message me before the alleged author had finished giving me their details. How fabulously ironic, they must have been psychic. Poor timing I would say, and unbelievable as they were probably sitting next to one another in the same office in Downtown Lagos.
What’s particularly alarming though, is the apparent inaction from Facebook. Despite multiple reports, takedown requests, and public warnings in writing communities, the fake profiles often remain active for weeks or even months.
Facebook’s automated moderation tools do not seem equipped, or even motivated, to address this specific type of impersonation. Especially when the affected accounts are not celebrities or mainstream public figures.
This problem is exacerbated by the fact that many indie authors are heavily reliant on Facebook groups, and these pages where they can market their books and network with other writers. These spaces have traditionally been valuable resources for community and exposure, but the infiltration of scammers has started to corrode trust and create confusion.
Writers are now forced to second-guess even the most benign messages from people who appear, on the surface, to be fellow authors.
Several members of the indie author community have taken it upon themselves to warn others by posting screenshots, naming fake profiles, and sharing their experiences in public threads. But without systemic intervention by Facebook itself, these grassroots efforts are limited in their reach and effectiveness.
It’s important for indie authors to remain vigilant. Here are a few ways to stay protected.
• Verify profiles by checking for consistent posting history, mutual friends, and profile longevity.
• Be sceptical of unsolicited offers for book promotion, especially those that demand upfront payment with little verifiable proof of past success.
• Use secure and vetted services for book marketing. There are legitimate agencies and tools available that can offer real value.
• Report impersonators promptly and document your reports to create a paper trail.
Until Facebook invests more resources into combating this specific form of identity-based scamming, indie authors will need to rely on their communities, and their own due diligence to avoid being victimized.
Link - https://tinyurl.com/msh8stw7
Back to less irritating items on the list of jobs to do, a quick update on the tour of Scotland.
All being equal, Vera2 and I are setting off on Monday.
The weather turned foul again over the past two days, and as keen as I am to set off, motorways and pouring rain are not an enjoyable combination.
Lets hope the weather man has next week advertised correctly!
In the meantime, thank you again for your support with all of my novels, it is much appreciated as always.
Stay safe, and keep reading and writing, and most of all, follow your dreams whatever they may be.
Best Wishes
AR
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