If You Are Called By Spotlight Network TV / Spotlight TV / Logan Crawford, HANG UP!

YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS ONE!!!

If you can keep track of the names and URLs, this post is about:

Spotlight Network TV / thespotlight.network
Spotlight TV
Logan Crawford (a “famous personality” we’ve never heard of)
Atticus Publishing / atticuspublishing.com

I received the following email yesterday:

Hello Angela,

I received an email as well as a voice mail from an organization on the West coast. Of course, I look at this as a scam. They said they found my book (title removed), and are very interested in it. They want me to contact them for a zoom interview to discuss the book on the “Spotlight Network” TV system. This is hosted by a guy, Logan Crawford. I pulled it up and watched their promo video on You Tube. Also pulled him up on Wikipedia but not much there.

I don’t believe any of it. I feel it is a well-orchestrated scam, but don’t know where the hook is or how they get into my back pocket.

So I don’t know if you have heard of them or had any exposure to this company. Let me know your thoughts when you can.

Thank you,

COINCIDENTALLY (or not so much!), on that EXACT same day, our Managing Editor, Brian Whiddon, received a voicemail on his phone from the same company, touting the “Logan Crawford” name, and wanting to interview Brian about his book.

What these spammers and telemarketers are NOT telling authors on that first contact is that the interview is actually an “infomercial,” which will cost the author $999 or more! And, it’s extremely doubtful that many people at all will hear that interview…much less buy that author’s book!

I did some digging and here’s what I found:

The “Logan Crawford” Interviews—Writing Scams or Overpriced Marketing? (You have to page down a few times to find that part of the article.)

READ THE NUMEROUS COMMENTS UNDER THESE THREE POSTS TO SEE OTHERS’ EXPERIENCES:

Another #scam to waste authors’ precious time

The #scam strikes again?

Update to the #Scam

Vanity Radio and TV: Think Twice Before Paying for Interviews – “…most often delivered via “sponsored content” internet stations such as The Spotlight Network…”

AND

“Publishing/marketing scammers sell the services of multiple show hosts (see below), but the three personalities noted above–Kate Delaney with America Tonight Radio, Ric Bratton with This Week in America, and Logan Crawford with Spotlight With Logan Crawford–make some of the most frequent appearances on scammer websites and in their email solicitations. Crawford is primarily an actor, with the interviews seeming like kind of a side hustle…”

Here is the voicemail that was left on Brian’s phone by the same company:

I know it’s hard to read so I’ve transcribed it here for you. Note that transcription errors are very common on voicemail, even if someone is a native English speaker. The person calling below appeared to have an accent. I have corrected parts below that were clear while listening to the voicemail but garbled in the transcription.

“This message is for Brian Whiddon. Hi Brian, my name if Bella Page from the Spotlight Network TV and I’m calling you because we receive information about the book you published entitled Blue Lives Matter and we are calling authors like you because we would like to offer you a possible television interview to discuss your book and yourself on our show and for us to help you market the book along with our host Logan Crawford. Logan Crawford is a Hollywood actor and an Emmy award winning anchor in spots like Network TV. If you receive this voicemail please call us back at 415-907-0443. If you prefer you can also reply via text message if this is a cell phone number. Also we sent you an email I’m looking forward to hearing from you. Have a great day…”

I took Brian’s phone and responded to “Bella Page” at “Spotlight Network TV / Atticus Publishing.” ENJOY!

THE EMAIL BRIAN RECEIVED (THAT I RESPONDED TO):

Hi Brian,

I hope you are well.

We would love to offer you an opportunity to discuss and promote your book ‘BLUE LIVES MATTER: The Heart Behind the Badge’ on our TV show.

Be featured on the show with Emmy Award-Winning Journalist and Hollywood actor Logan Crawford – attract more readers, make an impact, and grow your author’s brand.

Stand out and get in front of your readers by discussing your book/s on TV. Nothing adds credibility more than being seen on TV And now – This is your opportunity with the completely produced TV Segment.

BLAH BLAH BLAH.

The email has a professional photo of Logan Crawford sitting behind a desk. It lists the logos and names of 5 large companies under “Trusted by his clients.” (YAWN…)

There’s a ton more sales verbiage that made me feel like I was reading an ad written by a scammy used car salesman.

I WROTE BACK:

Hi Bella,

How much does it cost?

Brian

BELLA WROTE BACK within three minutes by copying and pasting more sales garbage…I mean jargon.

It included this: “Logan particularly endorses books to his partners to the doers and makers in the publishing industry, Hollywood film makers, book reviewers, literary agents, traditional publishers, partnered physical bookshops, librarians, media outlets, and magazines.”

Cough (bull) cough (sh*t). I challenge Logan Crawford to send us a list, with contacts, of all the books he’s had turned into movies, has had reviewed by professional reviewers, has had picked up by real literary agents, has had contracted with traditional publishers, and where he was personally responsible for purchases by bookstores and libraries. And, all of this at NO COST to any of the authors. I’m betting the number is ZERO!!!

Oh, Bella was kind enough to send a quote:

Regular Airtime cost: $3,899

Get this for only: $1,200

I’m called B.S. on the “regular airtime cost” number. That implies that Logan and his company are paying the balance. Ha ha ha ha ha!!! No, they are NOT!!! And, I’ve seen other quotes that authors have received from this company. You can see them, too, in the links above, and the comments under those posts. When everybody gets a discount, it’s not a discount. It’s the regular price!!!

I WROTE BACK:

Hi Bella,

Thank you.

I researched you online and some authors have been offered the exact same thing for only $999. Why am I being quoted more? It appears everybody gets a discount? So…that’s not really a “discount”, correct?

Brian

BELLA DID NOT RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION. INSTEAD, SHE SENT ME MORE MARKETING BLURBAGE, WHICH INCLUDED THIS:

Also, it has come to our attention that a company like Maple Staple Bookstore, Books to Life Marketing, AR Press etc. and many more is pretending to entice and inform authors that they are connected with Logan Crawford. Please be aware that this is not true. Only Atticus Publishing is authorized by Logan Crawford to contact authors for a TV interview spot to discuss and promote their books on his show at the Spotlight Network TV.

Honestly, my fellow authors and writers, what company in their right mind would be pretending to work with Logan Crawford when there are so many negative comments about him and his company online???

BELLA DIDN’T RESPOND TO MY SECOND QUESTION ABOUT ABOUT THE DISCOUNT BUT SHE DID SEND ME THIS ONE-LINE RESPONSE:

https://writerbeware.blog/scam-archive

WHOA!!! My first thought was, ‘Oh yeah, Bella knows the gig is up!’ But, wait…was she trying to say that those impersonators are on that page? The plot thickened…

MY RESPONSE

Hi Bella,

I’m not sure why you sent that to me but I searched for Spotlight on that page. I saw several mentions of The Spotlight Media Productions.

I also found the following. Are you saying these are all imposters?

The “Logan Crawford” Interviews—Writing Scams or Overpriced Marketing? (You have to page down a few times to find that part of the article.)

Another #scam to waste authors’ precious time

The #scam strikes again?

Update to the #Scam

Those three directly above also have numerous comments that mention your company (not the ones you listed in your email warning a few minutes ago). Please advise.

Several authors said they were quoted $999 but you quoted me far more than that.

Oh, and Atticus Publishing and Spotlight are listed here:

https://atmospherepress.com/avoiding-online-publishing-scams

Please advise. I want to make sure I’m signing up with the correct company since you said some are impersonating you.

Brian

AND, THAT’S WHEN BELLA (POOF!) DISAPPEARED!!!

BUT, I WASN’T DONE WITH HER YET! I SENT ONE MORE EMAIL:

Hi Bella,

Full disclosure. Brian Whiddon is the Managing Editor at WritersWeekly.com. It’s interesting that you were able to obtain his email address and phone number…but you had no idea what he actually does for a living. We also know that you know NOTHING about his book and that nobody at your company has ever read it.

I have been texting and emailing you from his phone and his email. My name is Angela Hoy. I’m the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. We’ve been exposing scammers in the publishing industry for more than 25 years. SURPRISE!!!!!

I know you are probably an innocent salesperson who is earning a commission on sales. I feel bad for wasting your time but it was important for us to obtain the information you sent so we can share it with our readers around the globe. WritersWeekly.com is one of the oldest and most-respected writing-related websites on the Internet.

You might want to think about working for a more reputable company. Since Logan’s company has so many complaints about it online, I’m sure it’s difficult to earn any money if you are working on commission.

The vast majority (if not all) of those author clients are likely paying far more for that “infomercial” than they are earning back in book sales.

I wish you well. And, I hope you can find a much better job.

Angela Hoy, Publisher

WritersWeekly.com

I have an honest question for Logan Crawford: If you’re such a great actor/host/famous personality/whatever (Seriously, none of us here has EVER heard of you before.), why are you allowing your name to be used to sell a service to authors when the vast majority of them (if not all of them) will earn almost nothing (or anything at all!) back in book sales? It’s so sad when washed-up, has-been actors have to resort to selling infomercials. Pity…

Logan, you might want to take a good, hard look in the mirror. Maybe YOU should be writing books and selling THOSE yourself instead of pretending to be a big-time celebrity.

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