In the world of publishing, receiving a voicemail from a prominent retailer like Barnes & Noble might sound like a dream come true. But before you get too excited or hit that return call button, hold your horses! This scenario is one that self-published authors need to approach with a hefty dose of skepticism. It seems that some sneaky scammers are more interested in making a quick buck than promoting your literary masterpiece. What should you do when the line between opportunity and conundrum blurs? In this article, we delve into a recent query from an aspiring author who was approached by someone claiming to be from the giant bookstore, only to find that it’s a well-trodden track for fraudulent schemes. Buckle up and prepare to learn what red flags to look for and how to protect your hard-earned work from those lurking in the shadows. Curious to know more? Click here to LEARN MORE.
Q –
Angela,
I just received a voicemail from a representative from Barnes & Noble, stating that they would like to place my book in their physical bookstore.
I have not yet returned their call. Is this to be trusted?
Thank you for your help. I’m so thankful for you all!
V.P.
A –
It’s an increasingly common problem and I commend you for being wary. First of all, Barnes and Noble NEVER calls authors about their books. If they want copies, they will order directly from the distributor or publisher.
The person who called you is a scammer working overseas (NOT at Barnes and Noble) who was then going to tell you that you first needed to republish your book through them (while still pretending to be Barnes and Noble). They were then going to make you prepay for hundreds or thousands of copies before they could “distribute those to the Barnes and Noble stores.” But, they were going to promise you that you’ll get reimbursed for those copies in a short while.
The fact is, they were never going to print and ship any books to Barnes and Noble. They were going to wipe you out financially, and then disappear.
REMEMBER: NEVER, EVER DO BUSINESS WITH SPAMMERS OR TELEMARKETERS!
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Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.
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