Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion

This was posted to another group on Goodreads. This particular spammer/exploiter account has already been deleted. However it's a good warning, because there a lot of them out there and the blog reference at the end gives a really good 'warning signs' explanation.

Hi

I wonder if this has happened to anyone else?

I received an email via Goodreads from someone under the name Emmett Moten. There is no sign of any activity from this person on the site - nothing read, nothing to read, no friends etc.

Furthermore, the reference to my work does not show that he (or she) has read it since it contains no specifics.

I have found the name Emmett Motem online, but it is clearly not this person though, of course, there could be more than one person of that name.

Has anyone else had this email, and what do we think about it?

rod

'Hi Roderick Hart. I just want to say hi and introduce myself - I'm a huge fan of your books! Your dialogue is snappy and it's like I could physically hear every word. Thank you so much for sharing your talent.

As an aspiring author myself, I thought I'd send you a quick message to share a recently discovered website specifically designed for authors to increase the sales of our books. I've personally tried what's offered on that website for the last month and honestly, I was blown away with the results I got! I love your work and admire you as an author, I want more people to experience your books! Everyone deserves to hear your stories so I'm excited to share this website as friendly act of kindness.

You can find it here: http://goo.gl/Wkt2Fy. This website features only the absolute best products for independent authors and publishers.

I want quality work to receive the audience it deserves - nowadays it's so hard to increase sales. P.S. I assure you - I'm not affiliated with this website in any way. Good luck, Roderick Hart!'


Blog on the link: You aren't the only one to get it - check this out:

http://alex-hurst.com/2014/05/18/scam...

honestly... this is not an author. This is someone pretending to be an author to make a connection with an author, in order to sell stuff. I posted a kickstarter campaign and got well over 20 emails from companies telling me they could make me $10k + by using their marketers. Spam is unfortunately part of being online.

Unfortunately scamming naive writers has become a booming business. Too many people think if they just pay $30, or $50 or $100 to a website it will make their book a best seller.

A.W. wrote: "Unfortunately scamming naive writers has become a booming business. Too many people think if they just pay $30, or $50 or $100 to a website it will make their book a best seller."

A lot of new authors simply don't know - so they are easy prey. I consider these types of posts a 'public service.' Goodreads and others educated me and I like to return the favor.

Ooh I got an e-mail from one of these people though it was not that name. They had the same, I'm a huge fan of your work line. I didn't buy into it of course and I noticed they had no friends, no books and I deleted them soon after.

I am clearly the richest man in the world based on all the lotteries I've won.

Please send me $10 for a current list of author scammers and spammers. Your name and email will be kept private except for the 348 sites I sell my email lists to.