Shortly after publishing a book, I received what seemed like a promising film adaptation offer from a reputable-sounding company. Despite initial excitement, I discovered it was a sophisticated scam. This experience taught me to stay vigilant and verify unsolicited offers—not only book and movie deals but any business promise that appeals to your ego and seems like a get-rich-quick scheme.
Many accounts similar to mine have been reported on the internet. I have a few recommendations for writers and creatives that I have adapted from the official blog of Writer Beware® by Victoria Strauss, an author on a mission “[to] shine a bright light into the dark corners of the shadow-world of literary scams, schemes, and pitfalls.”
Here are some of her tips and mine:
1. Verify identities: Always verify the identities of individuals and companies making unsolicited offers. Cross-check their contact details and credentials through official channels. Hundreds of bona fide entities have been skillfully impersonated by bad actors representing movie companies, producers, agents, publishers, bookstores, and media companies.
2. Consult professionals: If approached with offers involving significant rights or financial transactions, consult with a literary agent or legal professional before proceeding.
3. Ask for a reality check: Don’t forget the adage that if something is too good to be true, it probably is. It’s difficult to be objective about your own work, so seek the opinions of family members and trusted colleagues who don’t have skin in the game. Ask them for an honest opinion about whether the offer seems real or fake and what makes your work so special that it would be singled out among a thousand others also deserving recognition.
4. Check your ego: While it’s natural to feel flattered by interest in your work, it’s essential to stay grounded. Scammers often exploit pride and excitement, so approach such offers with a healthy dose of skepticism. Remember that legitimate opportunities usually come through established channels and often involve due diligence and formal processes.
5. Beware foreign actors: At present, most scams impacting U.S.-based writers come from overseas—the Philippines, Pakistan, and India. They are highly predatory and may be linked to so-called “vanity publishers” using overseas employees to produce your work. It’s a risk that authors take when they self-publish their writing.
6. Keep an eye on your finances: Scammers will try to hook you and pressure you to spend money on goods and services that may be highly overpriced, non-existent, never actually delivered, or all three. Some have the means (through leaked information) to access your online banking information and hack your account. Never provide your bank account and routing numbers to anyone other than the most trusted authorities. Do not share your bank information with your publisher unless proper fraud precautions have been established—such as in a real estate wiring transaction.
7. Remain skeptical of unsolicited offers: Scammers primarily acquire sensitive information by phishing through solicitation, and they are persistent. It is extremely rare for reputable business people to contact authors out of the blue, although it sometimes happens.
8. Reject purchase fees and requirements: Reputable agents, publishers, and production companies should not charge you for their representation or rights to acquire your work. Do not let them sell you any type of service or refer you to any third-party company or provider you have to pay.
9. Report suspicious activity: Report any suspicious offers or communications to relevant authorities or industry bodies to help protect others from similar scams. Write or talk about your experience and warn your writing group or close associates to be careful and avoid these scams.
10. Expect professionalism at all times: Whether you are approached in writing or through a telephone call, watch out for these additional tell-tale signs. They are highly correlated with author scams:
- Form letters, mismatched fonts, pasted material, and other examples that lack personalized communication.
- Spoofed phone numbers and addresses that do not match the location of the company that the individual claims to represent.
- Over-the-top compliments and flattering and flowery praise of your work.
- Overly friendly first lines or presumptive acquaintances. (“I hope this email finds you in good health and high spirits and that you are still thriving in your personal journey.”)
- A guarantee that your work has been thoroughly read and vetted by—or recommended to—company executives.
- Evidence of English as a second language or use of pronunciation applications for non-native English speakers, e.g., BoldVoice.
My fifth-grade teacher often said, “A word to the wise is sufficient,” as she would admonish a student and set them straight. She believed that once warned, the student’s wayward behavior would not recur. By sharing my experience, I aim to raise awareness among fellow authors and creatives, helping them avoid the scams that I have encountered.
Authors, let this be your “word.”
Arthur Lazarus is a former Doximity Fellow, a member of the editorial board of the American Association for Physician Leadership, and an adjunct professor of psychiatry at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. He is the author of several books on narrative medicine, including Medicine on Fire: A Narrative Travelogue and Narrative Medicine: Harnessing the Power of Storytelling through Essays.
