Fully Booked
The Hidden Gems Author Podcast
Episode 242 – Inside an Author Services Scam
Hosted by: Craig Tuch and Roland Hulme with special guest Slade Myers
A healthy dose of skepticism is always recommended when doing business online, but with today’s AI-powered scams becoming increasingly sophisticated, it’s getting more difficult to spot them. Authors are frequent targets, especially those new to self-publishing and looking for ways to bring attention to their books. That’s exactly what happened to this week’s guest, author Slade Myers, when an unsolicited social media connection led him into an elaborate author services scam involving fake identities, questionable marketing services, thousands of dollars in charges, and eventually someone impersonating Fully Booked host Craig Tuch and this very podcast.
In an effort to help other authors avoid falling victim to similar schemes, Slade takes us through how it all unfolded, the red flags he shouldn’t have ignored, and the bizarre fake podcast interview that finally led to the whole thing coming undone. By using trusted names and images pulled from the web, along with seemingly legitimate services designed to build credibility, online fraudsters are finding increasingly convincing ways to fool authors into handing over their money and getting little, if anything, in return. Slade’s experience offers a firsthand look at how these scams can unfold, along with a variety of warning signs to watch for when navigating the complicated world of self-publishing.
Slade Myers
https://www.youtube.com/@authorslade