If someone reaches out to you with an unsolicited offer to boost your sales, introduce you to book clubs, or generate reviews, assume it is a scam.
They play on your deepest insecurities. Your worst fears. Your book is on the market, getting good reviews, but have you done enough? What if it fizzles and dies, despite your grassroots efforts to gin up events, reviews and publicity?
Hello Amazing Author,
Let’s face it—book marketing is tough, time-consuming, and often overwhelming. You’ve poured your heart into your story, and now it’s time for readers to discover it.
That’s where I come in.
I work directly with highly engaged book clubs made up of thousands of dedicated readers who are always looking for their next favorite book—and I want yours to be in front of them.
Right now, I’m offering a limited-time opportunity to get your book into the hands of 150+ carefully selected readers—at a fraction of what traditional marketing costs.
Okay, this has got to be a scam, right? Right. Easy to spot. Nobody ever calls me “Amazing Author.” Not even my mother. Delete.
But what if they include my name and express an interest in my book, like this one from “Ariana”?
Hi Cynthia,
I recently came across your book Tales of the Sea, and the title immediately caught my attention — it sounds enchanting, adventurous, and full of heart.
I was wondering if this is your first book release. I’d love to hear more about it when you have a moment.
Probably a scam, I thought, but I replied with a thank you. I wanted to see what “Ariana” would say.
I realize you’re missing out on some features on your Amazon, you could connect your Goodreads reviews to your Amazon page, and it also shows the reviews you have on Goodreads. I’ve got a great way for you to get 20–50 reviews a day from real book lovers—totally free. Let me know if you’re interested!
Also, I would like to show you a video that you could create and upload It’s on your Amazon page apart from a trailer video. It would be a testimonial or ugc video
Got it. You have something to sell me. Doesn’t make you a bad AI bot, but it’s a hard pass for me. Then “Charles” reached out, trying his best to stroke my ego.
Hi Cynthia,
I recently came across (The Drumbeats of War), and I have to say your work genuinely moved me. The emotional depth, the historical richness, and the way you wove real letters into a gripping narrative… it’s clear you didn’t just write a story, you honored a legacy.
What really stood out is how you brought each moment to life with care and precision. It felt like stepping into the era with the characters living their sacrifices, resilience, and hope.
You’ve created something powerful here, and it absolutely deserves to be in the hands of more readers.
Warmest regards,
Charles
Ooh, I really wished this was real. But why was the name of my second book in parentheses? I was curious how the scam worked, so I asked him if he’d read my first book, The Journey Begins. “Charles” replied.
Yes, I checked it out and I’ve got to say, The Journey Begins truly caught my attention. The entire vibe of your Tales of the Sea series feels adventurous and heartfelt, but that cover? Absolutely stunning! It gave me that instant “pick me up and read me now” feeling. It’s bold, intriguing, and beautifully done, definitely something that stands out in the sea of titles out there.
Sure enough, the pitch came next.
By the way I just had the chance to check out the performance analysis of your book’s Amazon page and I’ve got to say, your book really gives off bestseller energy.
From what I’m seeing, there’s some strong potential here, but also a few things slowing down the page load (especially on mobile), which could quietly affect how often your book gets discovered or how long people stay on the page. These little factors can add up over time and impact visibility and conversion.
If you’re open to it, I’d love to share a quick, no-cost strategy that could help boost your book’s exposure and consistency in sales, especially since the content and presentation already speak volumes.
Oh dear, I really did have to laugh. “Best seller energy?” Did “Charles” think I was that needy?
The biggest giveaway on every scam was that they initiated, not me. I never asked for help. I already work with a marketing consultant.
The book club scams started flowing in as soon as I started attending book clubs as a visiting author. Creepy, right? These typically included a synopsis of my book and an offer to share it with THOUSANDS of book club members (no wine or snacks, I assume).
My name is Ben Jarvis, and I organize the Classics Book Club, where each month we spotlight books that spark meaningful conversation and connect readers to timeless stories.
Your novel, The Journey Begins (Tales of the Sea), with its rich historical detail, compelling family voices, and the sweeping backdrop of America on the brink of Civil War, perfectly captures the type of narrative our members love to explore. The blend of seafaring adventure, personal letters, and social upheaval offers countless themes for discussion.
Would you be interested in featuring The Journey Begins in our club? Our upcoming spotlight is scheduled for September 20, and I’d be delighted to reserve your feature spot.
Of the dozens of unsolicited book club emails I received, this one seemed the most likely to be real, but I was pretty sure it was a scam. The researcher in me really wanted to know what would happen if I said yes.
I learned it would cost $135 to be “featured.” I would need to wire the money to his “manager” in California. I decided it was worth the investment to find out if it was legitimate. If it wasn’t, I’d learn how the scam worked. First, I checked the Meetup address on his signature and got a “real” group.
I pulled the trigger and sent the money. As requested, I sent “Ben” a copy of my book trailer and discussion guide. Here’s my trailer.
Then came the next pitch.
Hi Cynthia,
Thanks for sharing your trailer and promo they look great! The kind I meant is more of a showcase-style clip tailored for readers. I have a marketer who can create that if you’d like. Can I share her contact with you?
Best, Ben
I gave a polite no to that offer. I was willing to dish out $135 for this exercise, but no more. He sent me his “promo” for the book. Not exactly a work of art, but it showed that 2,462 people had liked it and 1,642 had shared it. I started thinking how easy it must be to photoshop numbers into the graphic.
Next email exchange: “Ben” has shared the book, but he’s getting mixed reviews. He provided proof by sharing screenshots of a couple comments. Interesting - the second one indicated 1,543 likes and 543 shares, but only 1 view. I think “Ben” forgot to change that number.
I asked if the reviews were based on people seeing the promo or from people who had actually read the book.
Thanks so much for checking that’s a great question. The feedback I mentioned actually came from a mix of both perspectives. Some members have read the book in full, while others were responding mainly to the description and early impressions.
That’s part of why I thought it might be worth revisiting the description together I think this will help us make sure it really reflects the heart of your story and connects with readers right away.
Also, if you’re interested, I can introduce you to a publisher I know who works closely with authors on refining presentation and positioning. I truly think you have a lot of talent, and they might be a great partner to help bring out the best in your work.
Would you like me to send you their contact so you can connect directly?
There it is. The pitch. I concluded my little research project with a promise to reveal “Ben” and his so-called book club as a scam. It was worth $135 to share it with you.
Kirkus Reviews describes Tales of the Sea “a well-developed novel that uses copious historical sources to vividly bring its characters and setting to life.”
Hi, author here. Also been Jarvis'd. Turns out the club is real though and Jarvis does exist:
https://qoppac.blogspot.com/2026/04/ben-jarvis-mysterious-london-book-club.html
Me too with Jarvis. These are driving me nuts. Thank you for doing the research! I really appreciate it!