Scams, scams, everywhere scams!

You gotta admit... the scammers are getting better with their AI!

The scammer actually filled out the contact form on my website and was much more tactile with their description of my book and how they would like to promote and review my book.

Here's the message they left on the contact form on my website.

I just finished reading The Cowboy and the Aliens, and I wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I truly enjoyed it. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first picked it up a mix of cowboys and extraterrestrials sounded wild but what you created was so much more than just a fun concept. The way you wove together rugged Western grit with the wonder and unpredictability of sci-fi felt completely fresh and surprisingly heartfelt.

What really stood out to me was how grounded the story felt, even amidst the chaos and imagination. You captured that quiet sense of small-town life, the wide-open landscapes, and the everyday human emotions beneath the adventure. It’s such a unique balance rooted in realism but bursting with creativity. I could tell this story came from someone who genuinely loves both the land and the craft of storytelling.

I’m part of a passionate community of about 3,000 readers who love sharing honest, heartfelt reflections on books that resonate with us. We’re not a formal group just people who enjoy celebrating good stories together. Would you be open to more readers in our circle discovering The Cowboy and the Aliens? Thank you again for bringing such an original and entertaining story into the world. I hope you’ll keep writing and exploring that imaginative space where reality meets the fantastic you clearly have a gift for it.

STRIKE 1

All the scammers out there have "reading groups" that are in the thousands, but they string you along and will eventually ask for $$$ to feature your book to their group and those they affiliate with.

Just to string them along, I asked "Sure, if you can tell me where you actually purchased my book and what the name of the primary antagonist is."

Their response was...

Thank you so much for your message. It really means a lot that you took the time to respond. I came across The Cowboy and the Aliens through Amazon. I first read the preview there, and then finished it through a Kindle reading group I’m part of.

The main antagonist, the alien commander who tries to overpower the human settlers, really stood out to me  not just as a villain, but as a reflection of how fear and pride can drive conflict. I loved how you blended the grit of a Western with the wonder of science fiction. It felt fresh and full of imagination.

I truly appreciate your storytelling and the heart you put into your work. I hope you’ll continue writing more of these incredible stories. They really do spark inspiration.

STRIKE TWO

I don't sell through Amazon, so it's impossible to have read the preview there, plus rather than NAMING the antagonist, they use a generic title that might be in a science fiction story. They're also 100% wrong about who the antagonist even is, and they obviously have no idea what drives the conflict.

STRIKE THREE

I traced the IP address to Nigeria, so that would be an immediate red flag.

Unfortunately, scams like these are more and more common. I probably get 5 to 10 of these a day, but this was the first one that actually used the contact form on my website and referenced a few themes that I have in the book (likely extrapolated from what is written in the book description).