Authors are being targeted by AI-powered accounts promising exposure and fake reviews, according to journalist Walter Marsh. Marsh, who wrote a book about theft and fraud, received several suspicious emails shortly after his latest publication.
The emails came from accounts using stock images and generated text. One sender, 'Elena', claimed to run a community of 1,200 readers who review books on Amazon. Another, 'Glenda', offered a five-pillar plan to generate credibility through reviews, with prices ranging from $465 to $1,300.
Marsh noted that the emails appeared tailored to his work, despite their language bearing the hallmarks of a language model. He also discovered that a fake executive named 'Marcus Hale' had been used to contact other authors, mirroring a story reported by a colleague.
The scams highlight a growing trend of fraudsters using AI to target self-published authors, promising fake reviews and exposure in exchange for payment. Marsh advises authors to be wary of unsolicited praise and to verify the identities of those contacting them.
