Scam Alert: Great Writers Media

In the publishing world, scams unfortunately exist. To keep you informed about potential scam attempts on authors, The Authors Guild newsletter now includes scam alerts. Recently, during the pandemic, an author was contacted by Great Writers Media, a company that appeared legitimate. The author was promised a traditional contract and exposure to Hollywood filmmakers, which caught their interest. However, the author was then passed around to different marketing and publishing agents who all seemed friendly and helpful.

Despite assurances that the author's book would become a bestseller and be featured in prestigious publications like the LA Times, as well as an interview on Kate Delaney Radio and a spot on cable channels, the company demanded additional payments for "reading" and "marketing costs." The author was asked to pay a staggering $140,000 to secure exposure on the channel Nickelodeon, and $4,500 for the promised radio interview with Kate Delaney. The author invested about $18,000 in the scheme but never received responses to their inquiries or any royalty payments.

The scammers used wire transfers and Payoneer, using fake names to appear legitimate. The author later discovered that the scammers were based in the Philippines and used fake US phone numbers and addresses. The author is now working with their bank to try to recover the lost funds.

If you have experienced or come across a publishing scam, members of the Authors Guild can email the guild at  staff@authorsguild.org.  

By Anita Johnson-Brown

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