I’m getting a upswing in ‘readers’ contacting me through Facebook Messenger who have just found my books and want to know more. Right up until they want to sell me something.
There was this exchange with ‘Nerissa Elon’:
Fri 9:47 AM
Nerissa Elon
Hello James
How are you doingHey there! Hope you’re having an amazing day. I’m curious—are your books available in hardcover? I’d love to know more!
Fri 7:15 PM
Not yet, just ebook formatNerissa Elon
I see your book is only available in eBook format, but that’s no problem! A book trailer can still bring your story to life and attract more readers. I’d love to create a compelling trailer for you—are you interested?
I told her no at that point and haven’t heard from her since. If she has seen my books, then she knows they aren’t available in hardcover. Since I told her they are only available in ebook format, she echoes that back to me. Then she hits me with the pitch for a book trailer. Right to the point, I guess.
The I start getting messages from ‘Jean Meredith’:
Tue 9:38 AM
Jean Meredith
Hi James, it’s a pleasure to meet you! I recently came across your book, The Zombie Guide to Lawn Care, and it caught my interest. It sounds like a unique and fun read.Would you mind sharing your book’s Amazon link?
Tue 11:53 PM
If you came across the book, you already have the link.Wed 3:56 AM
Jean Meredith
I came across the book on Facebook groupWed 9:15 AM
Jean Meredith
Are you there James?Wed 11:49 PM
Which Facebook group, if I may ask?3:16 AM
Jean Meredith
I think Amazon kindle book promotion.10:39 AM
Could you please provide a link to the group?11:50 AM
Jean Meredith
I’m not certain.
I have to wonder why she needs me to give her a link to my book on Amazon. It’s not like it is very hard to find using the search feature on Amazon.com. Also, I’m not in any Amazon Kindle promotion groups on Facebook, so I’m very curious where I might be showing up so I can see if it is good free publicity or if someone is pirating my book somehow. Also, checking Jean Meredith’s profile I see that she also does, you guessed it, book trailers!
So is this something equivalent to the people that send you a ‘random’ text message on your phone and tell you they contacted you by mistake, only to try to draw you into a conversation so they can pump you for information and then sell you shit?
I suppose I should count myself lucky that their attempts are not sophisticated and easily seen through. I don’t want to have to dedicate brain cycles to uncovering and disarming scammers when I’ve got to so many other things to do.
Stay alert, my Hordeling!
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