The Literary Scam That Slid Into My DMs

Could it really be true? Had Anne Tyler actually read my debut novel and my published short stories? Was she really a fan?

Let’s Talk About Literary Scams

It all started when Anne Tyler followed me on X.

Then came the DM.

Yes, The Anne Tyler. Or so I thought.

I was pleasantly surprised — even a little starstruck. The Pulitzer Prize winner Anne Tyler! The legendary author of Digging to America and so many other acclaimed novels is reaching out to me.

In the message, she said she liked supporting authors.

I was thrilled.

She said she was a fan of my work.

I was ecstatic.

Could it really be true? Had Anne Tyler actually read my debut novel and my published short stories? Was she really a fan?

What a happy day!

She told me she’d connect me with her “publisher” and “marketer,” who could help spread the word about my writing — maybe even look at my unpublished manuscripts.

Then she tagged someone called Mog Reads.

That was the first red flag: her “person” was both a marketer and a publisher. Ha! Okay.

Still, I went along with it. I even invited Anne Tyler to be on my podcast. She agreed! I sent her my Calendly link to book a slot.

She never did.

Instead, this Mog Reads person (whose profile photo looked like a millennial white woman) started taking over the conversation. She launched into some vague spiel about “marketing support.”

That’s when I knew.

It was a scam.

I've been scammed before (I wrote about it [here]), so I decided to play along — just to see how far they’d go. They kept pushing, and I kept dodging.

This wasn’t my first rodeo with literary vultures, but it was one of the slicker setups I’d seen. Scammers love impersonating big names — Anne Tyler’s a perfect pick: famous enough to dazzle, reclusive enough that you wouldn’t expect her to pop up on X debunking fakes.

Here’s how it works:

• - Fake celebrity flattery hooks you.

• - Vague promises from a “helper” reel you in.

• - Then they go for your sensitive info.

Classic bait-and-switch.

I checked the website linked in Mog Reads’ profile. It was a Wix page with this URL:
https://adeoluwaelijah075.wixsite.com/my-site-4

I Googled the name “Adeoluwa Elijah” and found several profiles of Nigerian men.

So yeah, it was a scam. (Nothing against Nigeria or Nigerian men, but let’s just say: Mog Reads was definitely not a woman.)

I kept playing dumb. I told them I’d need to ask my husband for my KDP login info. (For those who don’t know, KDP is Amazon’s self-publishing platform — and it’s directly linked to your banking info. Red flag city.)

Giving them my KDP login would’ve handed over my royalties, my books, my bank account — everything. Indie authors are prime targets for this.

My “ask my husband” dodge was a stall tactic, and it worked. They didn’t suspect I was onto them yet.

Meanwhile, “Anne Tyler” stopped responding to my podcast DMs.

The silence from ‘Anne’ was telling — the baiter’s job was done, and the real hustler took over. Mog Reads’ persistence was almost comical, like a bad salesman who won’t take no for an answer.

She kept asking for my KDP login.

Eventually, I blocked them all and moved on.

So why am I sharing this?

Because I want to raise awareness. There are vultures out there — scammers who prey on eager authors, promising them the sun and the moon.

They’ll flatter you. Boost your ego. Tell you you're brilliant.

And then try to suck you dry.

Don’t fall for it.

Real marketers don’t need your Amazon account to “help.” If it’s too good to be true, it’s a trap.

You don’t need fake celebrities to validate your writing. You don’t need sketchy “marketers” asking for your login credentials.

You are enough.

Do your due diligence. Google. Cross-check. Ask questions.

With AI and easy website tools, anyone can create a fake profile, a fake persona, and a fake portfolio. And yes — even the smartest of us can fall for it.

.And that Wix page? Probably took ten minutes to slap together. It’s why we’ve got to stay sharp — the tools are cheap, easy, and fast to deliver.

Let this be a cautionary tale.

Stay creative. Stay vigilant.

And don’t let the bastards take you down.