Have I Got a Deal For You!

“I saw your book on Amazon. I can help you boost your exposure. I’m an Algorithm Architect.”

Yet another marketing offer that can’t be refused, or can it? I was tempted to respond: Which book? Are you aware it’s ranking #92 in business books on Amazon? And what is an Algorithm Architect?  Best approach though is don’t engage. Block them and delete. It’s yet another scam.

The writing community is being plagued by them, and they get more bizarre by the week. Fellow authors take note—you are not alone.

Scams have become prevalent in the HR community, targeting job seekers. Nearly half of them receive a constant barrage of scam offers which are skeptical. Ninety-five percent have encountered a suspicious job offer, and more than half have been directly targeted.

For job seekers, common signs it’s a scam: communication through text or chat, job offers with no interviews, promises of high pay for little work, poor grammar (a dead giveaway), suspicious contact information (e.g. individualname.companyname@gmail.com) and companies that were not readily identifiable. Authors see these last two signs as well, often weekly. Even if you find a website associated with the communication, be warned that AI can generate websites.

Fake job candidates are also impacting the recruiting community. Gartner has warned that by 2028, as many as 1 in 4 job candidates may be fake. 

For authors, these ploys have been happening for years. Promises of media exposure or marketing opportunities—many real, but at exorbitant prices.

My past advice included researching the firms. With the proliferation of scams today, don’t waste your time. Monster reports that one-third of job seekers said they had lost time looking into or even applying for these fake opportunities. One-quarter of job seekers reported ongoing stress and anxiety, which occurs in the writing community as well. Consider if they are worth it.

The state of the economy is a contributing factor. Job seekers needing a job are vulnerable. Authors, especially indie authors, wanting to get their books out into the world and sold are vulnerable. And many authors want to just write, not market, so they are delighted if someone “offers” to do the marketing for them.

Over-reliance on artificial intelligence is another factor. AI is producing everything from fake resumes, fake websites, fake book clubs (a big scam for authors), fake invitations from celebrities (such as big-name authors), fake job titles—Algorithm Architect, seriously?—and of course, fake books.

Closing thought: Be aware. The scams are out there. Don’t part with your money, your personal information, or your time. Move on.