Here We Go Again; Spotting that Scam

Yeah, they’re still at it but it’s getting worse now.

They’re advertising all over FB. Probably Instagram and TikTok too (I don’t pay much attention to those accounts, I try, but I’m a One Site Gal, what can I say?)

Here’s what’s popping up on the Almighty Social Media. Let’s start with

Elite Book Reviews

Not a lot of traction on the post…yet. In a minute, I’ll show what they’re on the road to becoming when we get to Write Your Vibe. Here’s some more information on Elite Book Reviews.

Yes, they’re very new. But if you look at their site instead of their FB page you’d never guess that. Someone over at Elite Book Reviews managed to put together a very professional looking site using the Text & Media feature for 90% of it.

Yep, they want $189 for 10 reviews. Make no mistake, you ARE PAYING for reviews here even though there’s a ‘middle man’.

Back in the Dark Ages when I was coming up that was highly frowned upon. Anyone who had to do that could not rest on their laurels because they didn’t earn them.

And…hey…don’t you think almost $200 is a little high for 10 reviews? After all, these people love to read and they’re getting the books for free so……

If you want any real information from this site https://elitebookreviews.com/ you’ll have to contact them but you will find this

And this…love it…check out the bottom. Huh????

And there’s THIS

Ok, obviously that’s supposed to help boost your confidence in this place that has told you a bunch of nothing you didn’t already know (if your IQ is over 70 and you’ve been at this for more than six months). That is supposed to look like some place called TrustPilot (more on that in a minute) BUT you can’t click those links. Nope. They are totally fake reviews for a totally fake company.

OK…at best…AT BEST…this place is ‘new’ and ‘trying to get off the ground’. (Damn Libra in me always has to give a little benefit of the doubt to freakin’ everybody!) At worst…it’s totally fake. Your books will be downloaded. Reviews will look at lot like the emails I’ve been getting where it really does appear someone read it but they didn’t. Oh, yeah, and those reviews will either be bots or old fashioned sock puppets. Chances are there’s maybe 3 people running this place, they have no readers, no staff, and those 3 people are splitting your nearly $200 between themselves while they use an AI to generate ‘reviews’ for your book….which only appear on Amazon (and if you’re “lucky” Goodreads.) They generated 10 reviews and post them under 10 rather fake accounts. Amazon accounts are….what’s that now…oh yeah…FREE.

Not, Prime. Just opening the account. If you have 5 email addresses you can easily have 5 active Amazon accounts. All you need to pull it off, other than the email, is a few prepaid debit cards to register with them….or…an Amazon Gift Card.

Yeah, baby.

NEXT!

Yes, my love, I’m getting there.

Here’s a good one.

This one has a lot of comments! If so many of them weren’t the laughing face you might totally think this is a good place.

Looks ok on FB, right? Well, five followers is a tip off but….we could let that slide a moment.

Let’s go to their website.

Oooo…wow….right off the bat! Someone fucked up the phone number. There’s a sign.

And it wasn’t a good one. That number did not come back to this company.

Other than that and the friggin’ pop-up immediately wanting your info, the site looks ok. In fact, one of the very first things you see is this TrustPilot thing.

It’s ‘clickable’ so I clicked it.

WOW! How awesome! Looks so totally legit! Wonderful things said! Oh let’s….

Click more links

Ouch.

And it is the ONLY 1 star review. ALL the others are 5 stars and that should set alarm bells blaring in your head!

Oh! Look! The other reviews these people left (to make it all look so legit) were ALL…every blessed last one of them….made on the SAME DAY as the review for Write Your Vibe.

That my darlings, is how bots and fake accounts work.

So click those damn links and do your due dilligence.

Back to their website

I’m getting there.

Alrighty then, you cannot get any information on this site. That friggin’ pop-up just keeps on poppin’ up. Whenever you click something like ‘get started’ the pop up is all you get.

You can get rid of it but after that what’s available to you, to inform you, to coax you into handing over your hard earned cash is meager at best.

So, you know, a word of advice from Old Aunty Moon, just be very careful of what you’re seeing on your Social Media pages right now. If something looks good to you…check it out. Don’t rely on them to guide you or to ‘have your best interests at heart’. All they want is the money in your pocket. Will you benefit from one of these places? Even just a little bit? Maybe. However, those of us with good (even great reviews) and awards can tell you this probably is not the Key to Amazon’s Chastity Belt.

Oh…no…wait…so sorry…I meant to say…..the Key to Amazon’s Vault.

Onward.

Yes, right.

The emails are getting better. They truly are.

Here….

Amplifying Your Book’s Reach with Expert Marketing

Inbox

David Peter <david.peter.books@gmail.com>	9:06 AM (5 hours ago)
to me

Dear Lisa,

I was captivated by The Heart of War, a richly layered mythological fantasy that brings Ares, the God of War, to life with intense passion, primal fury, and unexpected vulnerability. The dynamic between Ares and Alena is electric, filled with emotional complexity, power struggles, and a touch of dark magic. You’ve created a sweeping saga that not only reimagines ancient myth but also pulses with modern themes of redemption, sacrifice, and the lengths we go to for love.

With its blend of eroticism, high-stakes divine politics, and fierce feminine agency, this book is poised to attract readers who devour myth-based fantasy romance and series like Hades x Persephone, Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning, and Scarlett St. Clair’s King of Battle and Blood. There’s strong potential for BookTok traction and genre-specific discoverability.

He was captivated! Did you read that? Right THERE…the third word! Captivated.

Oh my!

Swoon.

It goes on to offer:

Here’s how I propose to support the success of The Heart of War:

• Amazon Optimization
  I’ll rewrite the book description using a proven framework (hook, conflict, emotional payoff) while aligning backend keywords and categories for visibility in myth-based fantasy and spicy romance niches.
• TikTok Reels and Bookstagram Exposure
  We’ll produce short, engaging clips with lines like “Inside the heart of every warrior breathes the soul of a hero…” or “She offered her virginity for protection, but the God of War wanted much more.” Targeted hashtags: #GreekMythRomance #GodOfWar #MythicalLovers
• Goodreads Listopia Placement
  I’ll position The Heart of War in curated lists such as “Mythology-Inspired Adult Romance”, “Spicy Fantasy with Immortals”, and “Gods and Mortals, Dark Romance Edition.”
• Review Outreach Campaign
  I’ll contact dark fantasy and mythological romance reviewers across BookTok, niche Facebook groups, and Instagram to drive ARC interest and spark conversation.
• Kindle Cover + Subtitle Evaluation
  If you’re open to it, we can assess visual and subtitle cues to ensure they speak clearly to Ares/Alena’s story and genre (ex: “A Dark Mythological Romance”).

Your story has all the core ingredients of a book that can resonate deeply with a passionate readership. I’d love the chance to help give it the kind of structured visibility it deserves.

Warm regards,
David Peter

Yawn….is it over yet?

Ok. He hung himself with the third word of the email but you knew that already, didn’t you? However, I would like to point out one thing the acronym ARC stands for Advanced Reader Copy. Yeah, it does. SO, a book that has already been published–and he is actively discussing in this email–by very definition is past the ARC stage of things.

I really friggin’ hate that, it makes me want to just walk up and slap them in the face every time it comes up.

You already know what my reply was. I don’t have to tell you. Here it is anyway.

Hi 
Where does “The Heart of War” end? What is the final scene in the book?
All the Best,
Lisa
www.lisabethdarling.com

Yep, that’s it. It has become my go-to whenever one of this emails tries to make it look like the sender actually read one of my books. For “Heart” I ask about the end. For other books I ask about other things. No one has gotten the answers correct yet. I don’t want to work with anyone who starts a relationship off with a lie or a misleading statement as the case may be.

Do you?