A sophisticated international publishing scam is targeting aspiring authors across the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, using a network of cloned websites, AI-generated staff profiles, and virtual offices to appear legitimate.
The Elusive Face of a Scam
An aspiring Australian author, known as Andrea to protect her privacy, believed she was embarking on her publishing journey with a reputable company. After recovering from cancer, she had poured her energy into a fantasy romance novel. She received a prompt response to a Facebook inquiry from a company called Melbourne Book Publisher.
An executive named Marcus Hale scheduled a video call, where he discussed her 86,000-word manuscript in detail, outlining publishing plans, promotional strategies, and even a potential book signing in Melbourne. "I saw him. He saw me," Andrea recalls. "He answered every detailed question... I believed it all." The illusion only shattered when she called the office of the legitimate publisher, Melbourne Books, for advice and was told no one named Marcus Hale worked there.
A Network of Deception
An investigation has uncovered a web of suspicious publishers operating under various names, including:
- Melbourne Book Publisher
- First Page Press (UK)
- Aussie Book Publisher
- Oz Book Publishers
- BookPublishers.co.nz
These entities use several tactics to create a facade of legitimacy:
Cloned Websites and Stolen Identities: The scammer operating as Melbourne Book Publisher used a name and Australian Business Number (ABN) deceptively similar to the well-established publisher Melbourne Books, causing significant confusion.
AI-Generated Staff Teams: The "meet our team" pages on these sites featured impeccably groomed, AI-generated images of executives with names like Marcus Hale, Hannah Preston, and Jonathan Hale. These images were swiftly removed after The Guardian began its inquiries.
Fake Testimonials from Real Authors: To build trust, these operations steal the identities of genuine authors. US children's author Blair N Williamson was renamed "Kristine" and given a fake testimonial on the Aussie Book Publisher website. Similarly, Australian author Katrina Germein was rebranded as "Sarah".
Consequences and Official Response
When Andrea attempted to retrieve a small $88 payment via her bank, she received threatening messages from the company, warning her of legal action. Upon requesting their ABN for verification, they provided her with the legitimate Melbourne Books' number.
David Tenenbaum, owner of the real Melbourne Books, personally investigated and was offered publishing packages ranging from $1,495 to $1,799. He was told one author was asked for almost $5,000.
Australia’s National Anti-Scam Centre is now investigating the case. A statement from the ACCC encouraged victims to report such publishing scams to its Scamwatch service to help disrupt these networks.
Dr Ashish Nanda from Deakin University’s Cyber Research and Innovation Centre highlighted the growing threat, stating, "Malicious actors are getting far more sophisticated through the use of AI tools, which allow scammers to rewrite or paraphrase text and alter imagery... while avoiding detection."
This case serves as a stark warning for aspiring writers to exercise extreme caution and conduct thorough due diligence before engaging with any publishing service, especially those that solicit large upfront payments.
