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.

Contest Scam

Posted 10/16/2026

While legitimate book awards do require a copy of the book for judging, scammers frequently use fake contests as a front for several predatory schemes.

Shady contests hide "rights traps" in their fine print. By submitting your file, you might accidentally sign over the copyright, publication rights, or derivative rights (like audiobook adaptations) to the company without realizing it.

Many fake contests select everyone as a "finalist" or "winner." They then demand that you pay to receive your trophy, get printed in their anthology, or buy a digital badge for your website.

Unregulated or fake contest websites are often data-harvesting fronts. Once they have your clean, DRM-free eBook file, they can upload it straight to illegal torrent and piracy websites.

Podcast / Radio / Interview Scam

Posted 10/16/2026

A scammer impersonating a famous public personality sends a message complimenting your work and invites you to an interview or offers other unsolicited media opportunities. 

Unless you submit for a media appearance, it is highly unlikely that a platform will independently seek out your work and offer promotional opportunities. This is often a scam with strings attached, including payment. 

To protect yourself, block the scam email and report the message using the Report Spam or Report Phishing feature in your email service. 

Spotify Audiobook Scam

Posted 10/1/2026 

A new scam on Spotify will list a book for you to listen to, only to direct you to a shady site in an attempt to steal your personal information, such as your full name, billing address, phone number, and credit card details. 

Book Club Scam

Posted 9/25/26

Reese Witherspoon’s Reese's Book Club  is a massive, multi-million-dollar media brand. They never scour Amazon new releases, nor do they cold-email newly published indie authors asking if they have a Kindle book.  Do not reply to any messages posing as book clubs or "literary scouts." If you tell them you have a Kindle book, they will immediately send you a beautifully written, AI-generated script explaining their "fee structures" for promotion.

Please read about similar scams here. 

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.