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Protecting authors from publishing scams
Protecting authors from publishing scams
Part of being your publishing partner means protecting you from scammers who increasingly targeting authors and illustrators. These fraudsters impersonate legitimate publishers (including Sourcebooks) to steal money or personal information. Here's how to identify real Sourcebooks communications and avoid getting caught in a publishing scam.
Part of being your publishing partner means protecting you from scammers who increasingly target authors and illustrators. These fraudsters impersonate legitimate publishers (including Sourcebooks) to steal money or personal information.
Here's how to identify real Sourcebooks communications and avoid getting caught in a publishing scam.
“Is This Email Really From Sourcebooks?”
Legitimate communication from us will:
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Come from @sourcebooks.com or @callistopublishing.com email addresses
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Not request upfront payment for publishing, marketing, or submission services
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Never ask for bank account details, Social Security numbers, or credit card information via email
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Not create artificial urgency ("respond in 24 hours or lose this deal")
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Not reach out via social media direct messages for official business
When in doubt: forward suspicious messages to your publishing team, or to info@sourcebooks.com for immediate verification.
How Publishing Scams Work
These scams affect the entire publishing industry, and fraudsters impersonate employees from publishers of all sizes.
This exploits the trust authors place in established and reputable publishing houses.
Common Fake Email Addresses
Scammers create deceptive email addresses by:
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Replacing letters with numbers: @sourceb0oks.com (zero instead of "o")
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Adding extra words: @sourcebooks-editorial.com or @sourcebooks-publishing.com
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Using misspellings: @sourcbebooks.com
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Changing domains: @sourcebooks.net or @sourcebooks.co
Please note: the only email domains associated with Sourcebooks are @sourcebooks.com and @callistopublishing.com.
What Scammers Promise
Fraudulent messages commonly offer:
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Guaranteed publication deals with Sourcebooks
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"Fast-track" manuscript review for a fee
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Marketing packages or publicity campaigns requiring payment
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Representation as a "Sourcebooks literary agent"
(we work with external agents; we don't employ them)
What Scammers Request
Impersonators typically ask for:
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Upfront fees for "submission processing" or "manuscript review"
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Banking information to "process your advance"
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Personal identification for "contract verification"
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Social Security numbers or tax details
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Immediate payment to "secure your publishing slot"
Recognizing Phishing Messages
Common email red flags include:
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Domain issues: Slight misspellings or variations of sourcebooks.com
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Poor quality: Major typos, grammatical errors, unusual formatting
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Artificial urgency: Pressure to respond immediately or "lose the opportunity"
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Suspicious links: Hover before clicking—does the URL match sourcebooks.com?
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Dangerous attachments: Files with extensions like .exe, .zip, or .scr
Common Questions
Q: "Did Sourcebooks email me about a book deal?"
A: Sourcebooks acquires books through literary agents or our posted submission guidelines, never through unsolicited cold outreach requesting payment.
Q: "Does Sourcebooks charge reading fees?"
A: No. We never charge authors for manuscript review, submission, or consideration.
Q: "Will Sourcebooks ask for my bank details by email?"
A: Not for initial contact. Financial information is only exchanged through secure, verified channels with authors we're already under contract with.
If You Receive a Suspicious Message
Immediate actions:
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Do not reply to the message
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Do not click links or download attachments
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Do not provide personal, financial, or manuscript information
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Do not make payments of any kind
Verification process:
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Forward the suspicious message to your publishing team, or to info@sourcebooks.com
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We will confirm authenticity quickly
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If confirmed fraudulent, mark as spam and report the account
Reporting Publishing Fraud
If you've been targeted by or lost money to publishing scams, report to:
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FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center: ic3.gov
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Federal Trade Commission: reportfraud.ftc.gov
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Your State Attorney General: usa.gov/state-attorney-general
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Authors Guild: authorsguild.org
Our Commitment to Authors
At Sourcebooks, our partnership with the creative community is built on trust. We take protecting that trust extremely seriously.
Questions or Concerns?
Contact info@sourcebooks.com and we will respond quickly.
For more information on avoiding publishing scams, visit the Authors Guild resource center at authorsguild.org/resource/avoiding-publishing-scams.