There has been a rise in email impersonation scams targeting authors in recent months. It is hugely troubling to see authors targeted in this way, and particularly saddening to see scammers attempt to take advantage of the passion and aspirations that all creatives have for their work. We are sharing guidance below on what to look out for, and the steps to take if approached.
A reminder that our teams will never contact authors out of the blue using personal email addresses. All communications with employees of Bonnier Books UK will be through email addresses ending in @bonnierbooks.co.uk or igloobooks.com.
Always check the email domain carefully – scammers will often attempt to imitate official email addresses by including variations or minor misspellings. Fraudulent examples we have encountered recently include @bonniersbook.com or @bonnierbookspublishing.com.
As phishing scams become more commonplace and increasingly sophisticated, it is important that we all remain vigilant to these threats.
We’re outlining two common variations of the email impersonation scam below, but this is not exhaustive. If you believe that you have been targeted by either of the scams below – or if you have suspicions about any communications claiming to represent the company – then we recommend taking the following steps:
- Do not respond, click links or open attachments
- Block the addresses
- Report the incident to [email protected]
The Society of Authors and the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain have also produced a useful checklist to help authors assess whether unsolicited approaches of this kind are likely to be a scam, and further actions you can take to protect yourself. The government also provides guidance on reporting internet scams and phishing attempts.
Editor scam
What does it look like?
Authors are approached via email by an individual claiming to be an editor at Bonnier Books UK or another publisher. The email may claim to be from a named editor or from a generic ‘editor at Bonnier Books UK’, but is sent from a public domain. The initial message expresses interest in the author’s writing and usually contains convincing details about previous work scraped from AI. The impersonator attempts to engage the author – and will often request a copy of their manuscript.
What to do
Look carefully at the email domain: our editors will never email authors using personal email accounts or public domains such as @gmail or @aol. Be particularly wary of domains that look convincingly genuine, but contain small variations in spelling or formatting to our @bonnierbooks.co.uk or igloobooks.com email addresses. Block and do not respond to the individual if you have any suspicions. We encourage you to report any suspicious approaches of this kind impersonating Bonnier Books UK editors to [email protected] so that our tech team can take steps to contact the service provider and request that the account be removed.
Producer scam
What does it look like?
Authors are approached via email by an individual claiming to be a broadcast or podcast producer – often impersonating legitimate journalists, but sent via a public domain email address. The impersonator attempts to engage the author and schedule an interview to promote their work, requesting payment upfront for ‘studio costs’.
What to do
It is highly unusual for legitimate broadcasters to request payment of this kind. Bonnier Books UK authors are encouraged to sense-check all press requests with their assigned publicist or editor. Do not engage with the scammer or send payment. Once informed, our tech team will take steps to contact the service provider and request that the account be removed.
