Joe Krakovsky's Blog: Joe's Blog - Posts Tagged "scams"
Making a movie of your book?
Beware of anything that comes to you over the internet. If it sounds like a good thing it is probably a scam. Say what you want about snail-mail, but a letter, or a certified letter, is in my opinion, 9 times out of 10 more legit than an email or text message. For one thing, if I was serious about something, I would write a letter, put it in an envelope, put a stamp on it and mail it. If I were running a scam I would acquire a mailing list and send out a zillion messages because everyone knows that will be saving trees and the electricity in computer usage is practically free, whereas all those stamps, envelopes, and paper cost money. Well, I am being a little sarcastic here because I am angry.
After receiving several offers from self-publishing companies to publish our books, somebody must have bought the same mailing list and sent us an email stating that they wanted to make our book into a movie. After doing some research we found out the 'director' mentioned in the email is a real person, but that is about as far as the truth in the matter goes. The rest of the email is a scam. Others received the same message, word for word, thanks to the advantage of email mailing lists. It was said that when talking on the phone the person on the other end has a heavy foreign accent. Now I don't care if you are from Arkansas or Zimbabwe, if I can't understand you than you are in the wrong line of work! And all you have to do in order to see your literary work on the silver screen is to start sending them money for one expense after another. So my advice, DELETE THAT EMAIL!
Sometime back I received an email (same mailing list?) from this lawyer in some African country saying that my relative was working for an oil company over there and passed away leaving me a small fortune. All I had to do was send some money to get the ball rolling so I could collect my wealth. It seems this lawyer is a real person but it was another scam. What makes me angry about this business is that when you report it they act like they can't do anything about it or it is out of their jurisdiction. Oh come on! If it was Hillary's money they took that person would be tracked down by the NSA and she would send her people after them. But I am neither rich nor (in)famous.
I will post the original email I received below. Be safe!
Dear Joe,
I would like to express my interest in purchasing the rights to your script with the intention of producing it as a feature film. I believe that your work has immense potential and aligns perfectly with the vision I have for an upcoming project.
Before we proceed further, I would like to discuss the terms of the potential purchase, including the financial arrangements, credits, and any creative input you may wish to have during the production process. It's important to me that we establish a fair and mutually beneficial agreement that respects your creative contributions to the project.
Furthermore, we are committed to ensuring that you are appropriately credited for your creative contributions to the project and that your vision for the screenplay is respected during the production process. Our goal is to collaborate with talented writers like you to bring exceptional stories to the screen.
If this opportunity interests you, we would be delighted to schedule a meeting or a call to discuss the specifics of the potential purchase, including the terms, financial arrangements, and any creative involvement you may desire.
Please let us know your availability, and we will coordinate a time for our discussion.
Thank you for considering this inquiry. We are excited about the possibility of working with you to bring your screenplay to life on the big screen and look forward to hearing from you soon.
Jon Casey
Director • Cinematographer • Producer
Headquarters: Culver City, California, United States
I just received another offer, this time from 'Todd Peters'
Dear Joe,
I hope this message finds you well. I am Todd Peters, a director based in California. It is with great excitement and admiration for your work that I reach out to you today.
Recently, our esteemed book agent brought your remarkable book to my attention, highlighting its potential for a film adaptation. I must admit, I was captivated by its unique narrative and rich storytelling. Your book has been on our database for quite some time, and we've been closely monitoring its growing popularity and the increasing demand from our audience.
The reason for my reaching out only now is that we believe in timing and the right moment to transform a book into a cinematic experience. With the recent surge in interest and demand for your book, we feel that this is the opportune moment to discuss the potential of bringing your story to life on the big screen.
This is an opportunity we don't want you to miss. A film adaptation can open new horizons for your story, reaching wider audiences and adding a new dimension to your already profound narrative. Our team is enthusiastic about the possibility of collaborating with you to honor the essence of your work while translating it into a visual masterpiece.
I would be delighted to discuss this further and explore how we can work together to make this vision a reality. Please let me know a convenient time for you to have a conversation about this exciting venture.
Thank you for considering this opportunity. I am looking forward to the possibility of working together to create something truly magical.
Warm regards,
Todd Peters, Director (Film and TV Drama)
After receiving several offers from self-publishing companies to publish our books, somebody must have bought the same mailing list and sent us an email stating that they wanted to make our book into a movie. After doing some research we found out the 'director' mentioned in the email is a real person, but that is about as far as the truth in the matter goes. The rest of the email is a scam. Others received the same message, word for word, thanks to the advantage of email mailing lists. It was said that when talking on the phone the person on the other end has a heavy foreign accent. Now I don't care if you are from Arkansas or Zimbabwe, if I can't understand you than you are in the wrong line of work! And all you have to do in order to see your literary work on the silver screen is to start sending them money for one expense after another. So my advice, DELETE THAT EMAIL!
Sometime back I received an email (same mailing list?) from this lawyer in some African country saying that my relative was working for an oil company over there and passed away leaving me a small fortune. All I had to do was send some money to get the ball rolling so I could collect my wealth. It seems this lawyer is a real person but it was another scam. What makes me angry about this business is that when you report it they act like they can't do anything about it or it is out of their jurisdiction. Oh come on! If it was Hillary's money they took that person would be tracked down by the NSA and she would send her people after them. But I am neither rich nor (in)famous.
I will post the original email I received below. Be safe!
Dear Joe,
I would like to express my interest in purchasing the rights to your script with the intention of producing it as a feature film. I believe that your work has immense potential and aligns perfectly with the vision I have for an upcoming project.
Before we proceed further, I would like to discuss the terms of the potential purchase, including the financial arrangements, credits, and any creative input you may wish to have during the production process. It's important to me that we establish a fair and mutually beneficial agreement that respects your creative contributions to the project.
Furthermore, we are committed to ensuring that you are appropriately credited for your creative contributions to the project and that your vision for the screenplay is respected during the production process. Our goal is to collaborate with talented writers like you to bring exceptional stories to the screen.
If this opportunity interests you, we would be delighted to schedule a meeting or a call to discuss the specifics of the potential purchase, including the terms, financial arrangements, and any creative involvement you may desire.
Please let us know your availability, and we will coordinate a time for our discussion.
Thank you for considering this inquiry. We are excited about the possibility of working with you to bring your screenplay to life on the big screen and look forward to hearing from you soon.
Jon Casey
Director • Cinematographer • Producer
Headquarters: Culver City, California, United States
I just received another offer, this time from 'Todd Peters'
Dear Joe,
I hope this message finds you well. I am Todd Peters, a director based in California. It is with great excitement and admiration for your work that I reach out to you today.
Recently, our esteemed book agent brought your remarkable book to my attention, highlighting its potential for a film adaptation. I must admit, I was captivated by its unique narrative and rich storytelling. Your book has been on our database for quite some time, and we've been closely monitoring its growing popularity and the increasing demand from our audience.
The reason for my reaching out only now is that we believe in timing and the right moment to transform a book into a cinematic experience. With the recent surge in interest and demand for your book, we feel that this is the opportune moment to discuss the potential of bringing your story to life on the big screen.
This is an opportunity we don't want you to miss. A film adaptation can open new horizons for your story, reaching wider audiences and adding a new dimension to your already profound narrative. Our team is enthusiastic about the possibility of collaborating with you to honor the essence of your work while translating it into a visual masterpiece.
I would be delighted to discuss this further and explore how we can work together to make this vision a reality. Please let me know a convenient time for you to have a conversation about this exciting venture.
Thank you for considering this opportunity. I am looking forward to the possibility of working together to create something truly magical.
Warm regards,
Todd Peters, Director (Film and TV Drama)
Beware of Friends
It seems that the internet scams will never cease until they get serious about stopping them.
Lately I have been getting a lot of friend requests on Goodreads. That in itself is okay, but one still has to be careful. I started receiving emails from someone going by the name of Kevin Masters who claimed to be a surgeon. I thought he was one of these new friends. He sounded like he needed a friend being as he claimed his wife left him for his best friend. Feeling sorry for him I responded to his short emails. But then I became suspicious.
He started questioning me for information and pictures of myself. At first I thought his grammar errors were due to stress or just carelessness, you know, like somebody who doesn't bother to proofread their email or text before hitting 'send.' But finally one message became really confusing. So I asked just what he was asking. When I started reading his reply and got to the point where he mention "Amazon Gift Cards" I had enough. I told him not to email me again and that I was reporting it.
A few words of warning:
Beware of a stranger referring to you as 'my friend' or 'dear friend.'
Beware of strangers asking you about yourself.
Beware of strangers asking for help (online).
Beware of strangers praising you, such as for having a big heart.
As soon as they mention Amazon Gift cards know it is a scam. And I might as well add beware of official looking emails from such things as Paypal that comes by email. I have been getting these even though I don't use it.
Due to my experience with 'Kevin,' I won't be accepting any new Goodreads 'friends' that I don't know already.
Beware people.
Lately I have been getting a lot of friend requests on Goodreads. That in itself is okay, but one still has to be careful. I started receiving emails from someone going by the name of Kevin Masters who claimed to be a surgeon. I thought he was one of these new friends. He sounded like he needed a friend being as he claimed his wife left him for his best friend. Feeling sorry for him I responded to his short emails. But then I became suspicious.
He started questioning me for information and pictures of myself. At first I thought his grammar errors were due to stress or just carelessness, you know, like somebody who doesn't bother to proofread their email or text before hitting 'send.' But finally one message became really confusing. So I asked just what he was asking. When I started reading his reply and got to the point where he mention "Amazon Gift Cards" I had enough. I told him not to email me again and that I was reporting it.
A few words of warning:
Beware of a stranger referring to you as 'my friend' or 'dear friend.'
Beware of strangers asking you about yourself.
Beware of strangers asking for help (online).
Beware of strangers praising you, such as for having a big heart.
As soon as they mention Amazon Gift cards know it is a scam. And I might as well add beware of official looking emails from such things as Paypal that comes by email. I have been getting these even though I don't use it.
Due to my experience with 'Kevin,' I won't be accepting any new Goodreads 'friends' that I don't know already.
Beware people.
Pay Pal scam
Beware of this scam. It looks like a real pay pal email, but I don't use Pay Pal. I imagine if you call them or email them you will end up getting screwed.
Hilda Hettinger
10:49 AM (17 minutes ago)
to me
Hello,
We appreciate your payment for order EN-905783-6563674018254, received on 2025-OCT-06.
Delivery Details: 2881 S Park Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44120
Reference Number: GUID-20251006-20903f6c1a0a4c7cbb889c1e5815ad34
Your order is now being processed. For support, please contact our Customer Care team.
Thank you,
Hilda Hettinger
10:49 AM (17 minutes ago)
to me
Hello,
We appreciate your payment for order EN-905783-6563674018254, received on 2025-OCT-06.
Delivery Details: 2881 S Park Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44120
Reference Number: GUID-20251006-20903f6c1a0a4c7cbb889c1e5815ad34
Your order is now being processed. For support, please contact our Customer Care team.
Thank you,
