Marketing Scams That Prey on Desperate Authors

 1. The Amazon Bestseller Scheme That Backfired

One of the biggest red flags in my book—pun fully intended—is any publisher claiming they can “guarantee your book a bestseller.” No one can do that. And when shady “marketing companies” try to game the system, it often ends in disaster.

Take this real example: a self-published author hired a firm that promised to make their book an Amazon bestseller. Instead of using smart, sustainable strategies, the company bulk-purchased copies in obscure categories—briefly landing the book at #1 in “Linguistics” (even though it was a fantasy novel). When Amazon caught on, they delisted the book, withheld royalties, and flagged the author’s account for suspicious activity.

The lesson? Don’t try to cheat the system. Focus on real, organic sales.

Now, that’s not to say a big marketing budget or industry connections can’t help. Sales often come down to genuine demand. At Seerendip Publishing, we know how to get your book in front of the right readers—but we can’t make them buy it. People have to want it.

That’s why we lead with transparency. Every author gets an initial marketing plan—one we aim to far exceed—so you know exactly what we’re doing to support your book from the start.

2. The Pay-to-Win Book Award That Meant Nothing

Whether we admit it or not, most of us crave recognition for our work. After all, all that effort should count for something, right? As an author, you should submit your book for awards—ideally with the help of your publisher—but remember: not all awards are created equal.

I once heard about an author who proudly celebrated a “prestigious” book award—only to find out later that everyone who paid the $200 entry fee was declared a winner. The promised “media exposure”? Just a generic press release posted on a random blog.

The lesson? Be wary of awards with steep fees and no real credibility. Always do your homework before submitting.

At Seerendip Publishing, we do submit our authors for awards—but we do it strategically. We want our authors to win awards that matter.

3. The Social Media “Influencer” Review Scam

As a publisher, I’m amazed by how many “marketing experts” slide into my inbox. Honestly, if your services are that effective, why are you pitching me? Shouldn’t your reputation be bringing me to you?

Once you become a published author and start promoting your book, you’ll start getting DMs and comments from these so-called experts. It’s not that they can’t help at all—but you need to ask the right questions. What exactly will they do to market your book?

Check their reviews, testimonials, and past results. Then ask yourself: Could I get better results just running a $20 Facebook ad?

Here’s how the scam usually works: the influencer charges hundreds for a “review” or a “shoutout,” but either never delivers or provides fake engagement. Often, they’ll just use part of your money to run a basic ad, then get a handful of friends to “like” or comment on it—and call that marketing.

Red flags include:

• High fees for guaranteed positive reviews

• Vague promises about “reach” or “engagement”

• No real ties to the book industry

At Seerendip Publishing, we do work with freelancers to help market your book—but we vet them carefully to make sure they can deliver. And often, reliable, no-nonsense marketing services can outperform these flashy influencer tactics.

4. The Fake Publicist Swindle

You’ve probably seen ads that scream, “Want to get featured in USA News, New York Times Magazine, CEO Weekly, Fox News, or MSNBC?” Sounds amazing, right? But what you actually get are links to random affiliate websites—or worse, articles on sites owned by the publicist. Frustrating, isn’t it?

You thought you were getting coverage on major news networks. Instead, your book ends up on obscure blogs no one’s ever heard of. (And yes—this example is based on a true story.)

At Seerendip Publishing, we do everything we can to vet services before using them. But sometimes, the only way to know if something works is to test it. When one service failed to deliver on its promises, we calmly pointed out the gap between what was marketed and what we actually received—and we secured a full refund.

Why do we share this? Because transparency matters. We believe in holding every marketing partner accountable, and we only work with people who actually deliver results for our authors.

So how does the fake publicist swindle work? It’s simple: they promise big-name media placements, but after you pay thousands, they either ghost you or slap your book on some low-traffic blog with zero reach.

Watch for these red flags:

• Guaranteed press coverage

• No real testimonials or success stories

• Vague or unverifiable media connections

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

5. The “Guaranteed Bookstore Placement” Lie

Anytime someone uses the word “guaranteed” in publishing, my scam radar lights up. Very few things in this industry are that simple.

Here’s how this one works: a shady “publisher” promises to get your book into big-name retailers like Barnes & Noble, Walmart, or Target. Sounds impressive—until you realize they’re only talking about online listings, not actual shelf space. 

Yes, these major retailers might stock your book eventually, but only if it hits a secret, undefined sales threshold. And let’s be honest—not every book is going to move thousands of units, especially if it’s niche.

Here’s the core truth: publishing and distribution are not the same thing.Publishing = making your book available on platforms like Amazon, IngramSpark, or B&N.Distribution = getting your book into the hands of readers, stores, and libraries.

Getting on actual store shelves? That takes real relationships and targeted marketing—not empty promises.

At Seerendip Publishing, we’ll never oversell what we can do. We don’t have a billion-dollar marketing budget or magical access to every bookstore in the world. What we do have is a growing network of real stores, smart marketing strategies, and a commitment to doing things the right way.

To avoid falling for this lie, watch out for:

• Too-good-to-be-true claims

• Vague or unverifiable bookstore connections

• Sales pitches that confuse “online listing” with “in-store placement”

Shelf space is earned—not guaranteed.

6. The “Best-Seller Club” Ponzi Scheme

This one’s a doozy. The so-called “Best-Seller Club” scam is basically a pay-to-play scheme where a shady publisher promises to skyrocket your book to bestseller status—if you’re willing to pay for it, of course. The way they do it? By arranging bulk orders to artificially inflate your book’s sales numbers. It’s the literary equivalent of performance-enhancing drugs: looks impressive for a moment, but it doesn’t last—and the side effects can be brutal.

Usually, authors are asked to fork over a hefty upfront fee so the company can “buy” your book in bulk. But who’s buying these books? Where are they going? Most of the time, the answers are vague, or worse, nonexistent. These tactics might temporarily boost your book’s rank, but the moment the bulk buying stops, so does your visibility. It’s a house of cards built on fake demand—not real readers, not real fans, and definitely not long-term success.

Even worse, this model operates like a Ponzi scheme: new authors are lured in to fund the illusion of success for others. The cycle continues until someone wises up—or the whole thing collapses.

Red flags to look for:

• Guaranteed bestseller status

• “We’ll buy X copies for you” with no explanation

• Lack of real engagement or reader outreach

• No clear accounting of who is buying the books or where they're going

Here’s the kicker: platforms like Amazon have strict rules against manipulating rankings. If they catch wind of shady sales activity, they can penalize your book—or your account. So not only are you throwing money at a fake boost, but you’re also putting your future publishing prospects at risk.

At Seerendip Publishing, we don’t believe in gimmicks. We don’t game the system, and we won’t let you waste your money chasing vanity metrics. Instead, we focus on strategies that actually work:

• Paid email distribution services that put your book in front of readers who want it

• Book signings and live events that build real buzz

• Strategic bookstore placements based on real relationships

• Honest marketing plans tailored to your book’s genre and audience

No shortcuts. No smoke and mirrors. Just smart work and solid results. If that’s the kind of publisher you’re looking for, we’d love to hear from you. Submit your manuscript through our website and let’s build something real together.