Supposed "monthly reader led book challenge" > Likes and Comments

Hi -- I am an author who recently received an emailed invitation from (supposedly) a UK Book Club moderator. They offered to include my book in a "monthly reader led book challenge" in this group. After a few email exchanges, they revealed there was a "registration fee" to "formalise the process and ensure commitment." I'm posting here to find out if this challenge is real or a scam. Thanks.

Hi Daniel, thank you for your message. That is odd. Liz normally sends out a monthly message to members of the UK Book Club which invites everyone to vote on the suggestions for the following months book. She includes links for several of our other reading challenges. But that should come through the messages on Goodreads and not via e-mail.

There is a chat where we ask for suggestions for the next month which you can find here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... and you are welcome to put your own book forward for inclusion in the poll should you wish. But there is certainly not a registration fee for this. Sounds like the e-mail was a scam.

FYI Liz and I are the only currently active moderators for this group. I hope that helps.

Thanks. I'm sorry to report that the scam was sent out in your name, Kate, with a link to your Goodreads profile to make it look legitimate. The return email address they're using is "katemoderatoor@gmail.com" (note the misspelling). I will attempt to report this scam to Goodreads because it's probably automated and might use other moderators' addresses as well. If you'd like copies of the emails, I'll be happy to send them to you.

I have reported the scam to Goodreads and forwarded them copies of the emails.