Protecting Indie Authors:
Fraud Awareness at SoldByAuthor
At SoldByAuthor, we are deeply committed to protecting the integrity of our indie author community,
and that means keeping you informed about scams, impersonators, and dishonest service providers.
How to Spot Warning Signs of a Scam
When connecting with marketers, service providers, or “big names” online, look for these red flags:
✅ Mismatched URLs and profile names (e.g., the profile name says “Stuart Gibbs,” but the URL is “benett.chris”).
✅ Low follower counts on supposedly famous profiles (a bestselling author will not have only 60 followers on Facebook).
✅ Promises of huge success without evidence (“I can make your book a bestseller overnight!”).
✅ Pressure to act fast or keep things secret (“You’re lucky — don’t tell anyone else!”).
✅ Requests for upfront payment without contracts or verifiable references.
✅ Unverified testimonials or unverifiable “happy clients”.
What We Do at SoldByauthor.com
At SoldByAuthor, we offer you the Co-op Service Provider Network — a trusted space where only vetted, referred, and member-approved providers are listed.
We will never flood the network with dozens of random providers; instead, we focus on hosting the best, most honest experts in specific niches. Whether you’re working in children’s fiction, nonfiction, romance, or sci-fi, we want service providers who will:
Be upfront about what they can and cannot deliver.
Operate transparently with clear communication.
Offer members-only discounts in return for verified, five-star service.
This protects both our Author Members and our Service Providers, ensuring that trust, transparency, and fairness drive all relationships on our platform.
Recent Frauds Detected
At SoldByAuthor, we are deeply committed to protecting the integrity of our indie author community, and that means keeping you informed about scams, impersonators, and dishonest service providers.
Recently, we made our first public fraud exposure:
An individual impersonating bestselling author Stuart Gibbs (via a Facebook profile named “benett.chris”) was actively promoting a supposed marketing expert, “Elena Hayes” (profile URL: mesya.adien), to indie authors. After investigating, we determined that:
The real Stuart Gibbs had no involvement in these outreach messages.
The “Elena Hayes” account appeared highly suspicious, with mismatched details and no verifiable track record.
When confronted, both accounts vanished or went silent, confirming our suspicions.
This kind of deception can be devastating for indie authors eager to advance their careers.
Case: Stuart Gibbs Imposter (Chris Benett). The imposter approached our founder, David L. Walley, on Meta Messenger and entered into a conversation. Soon after, Chris mentioned that he owes much of his success to his marketing professional and, if he would like, he would be happy to put him in touch with her. And so enters Elena Hayes, also known as mesya.adien (see URL). “Chris” provided her email address. By this time, David’s keen eye noticed a few things about the Stuart Gibbs Facebook profile. A well-established, traditionally published author with only 62 followers. Not that this is always proof, but it is a sign, though the bigger sign is the contact itself. Why would such a well-established author with book deadlines, signings, and speaking events take their time to reach out to random people on Facebook? Because they are impostors.
After David had reached out to Elena, the other half of the suspected fraud, to see what suspicions could be found, after a short conversation, David just came out and asked. Who is Stuart Gibbs and who is Chris Benett? Ghosted and as David frequently checked, the page for the Gibbs imposter had been taken down after David had asked him to check his email address from his website because David had sent him some very important information that he would be happy to hear, knowing that the imposter didn’t have access to the real Gibbs email address. We will occasionally search to see if this imposor has reactivated his domain of fraud and take him down again. Rest assured, this impostor will pick up a new fake identity he and his cohort Elena Hayes will be back at their con soon. In the meantime, her profile remains intact. CAUTION! BUSTED BY SoldByAuthor.com
CAUTION! The case of Deanna Raybourn’s potential imposter is currently being worked. What suspicious things do you see in the Facebook page?
How You Can Help
We are a community — and communities look out for one another.
✅ Share warnings when you spot suspicious activity.
✅ Report concerns directly to SoldByAuthor staff.
✅ Educate your fellow indie authors by spreading the word about common scams.
✅ Join our SBA Group for up-to-date fraud warnings, platform updates, and educational resources.
Together, We Build a Safer Indie Author Space
Thank you for helping us keep SoldByAuthor a safe, supportive space where indie authors can focus on what matters: creativity, community, and growth.
Join the movement. Stay protected. Thrive.
Report a suspected Scam, Fraud or Imposter
📋 What To Do If You’re the Victim of a Scam or Fraud
If you’ve been targeted or harmed by a scam, here’s what you need to gather before filing a report with an official agency like the FTC, IC3 (FBI), or your state’s attorney general:
✅ Detailed Description: Write down exactly what happened — include dates, times, and any steps the scammer took.
✅ Evidence: Collect screenshots, emails, messages, transaction records, payment confirmations, or any links used.
✅ Financial Impact (if any): Note whether money was lost, sensitive information was shared, or accounts were compromised.
✅ Scammer Information: Provide as much detail as you can — names, profile links, phone numbers, email addresses, or payment accounts they used.
✅ Your Contact Information: Be ready to provide your name, email, or phone number (some agencies allow anonymous tips, but full reports usually require contact details).
🚨 Where To Report
FTC (U.S. only): ReportFraud.ftc.gov
FBI Internet Crime Center (IC3): ic3.gov
State Attorney General: Find yours here
Author’s Guild (for U.S. authors): authorsguild.org
If you’re reporting through SoldByAuthor, include all of the above details in our report form. While we cannot act as law enforcement, we can help warn other authors and alert our network if we detect broader patterns or coordinated scams.