Indie publishing is booming, which means writers have more control over their careers than ever before. But with opportunity comes risk—and scammers are circling like sharks in a feeding frenzy.

Every year, new scams pop up, often just repackaged versions of old ones, designed to prey on authors who are still figuring out the publishing game. Because while anyone can write a book, successfully publishing and selling one is much harder. That gap—between the dream and the reality—is where the scammers strike.