Recognizing Scams

Kelsay Books takes the interests of our authors seriously. Your security and the integrity of your work are our top priorities. Unfortunately, many malicious individuals and organizations target published authors.

We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the tactics listed on this page so that you can recognize potential scams and protect yourself and your book. Writer Beware is another excellent resource.

Book Club Scam

Posted 4/1/2026

We have been made aware of a sophisticated “Book Club” scam currently targeting indie and small-press authors. Please stay vigilant for unsolicited emails from individuals claiming to be “book scouts” or representatives of private reading groups.

The Hook

The sender will praise your book — often using language pulled directly from your Amazon blurb or professional reviews — and express interest in “featuring” or “pitching” your work to a large group of readers.

Red Flags

The Pay-to-Play Pivot: After a few friendly exchanges, they will ask for a fee (typically ranging from $300–$900) to cover “administrative costs,” “marketing,” or “club refreshments.”

Non-Refundable Payments: They often insist on using PayPal Friends & Family or other methods that offer no buyer protection.

Generic Email Addresses: These inquiries almost always come from free accounts rather than from a verified professional domain.

What to Do

Please remember that legitimate book clubs and scouts do not charge authors to read or feature their work. If you receive a suspicious inquiry, do not reply, do not send PDF copies of your manuscript, and never provide payment.

We recommend marking the email as Spam and deleting it immediately.