How to tell a scammer from an actual human

Bennett_jhon· 2 mins ago


ʜᴇʟʟᴏ,
ɪ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ ᴡᴇʟʟ. ɪ ʀᴇᴄᴇɴᴛʟʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀꜱ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ɪᴍᴘʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ. ɪᴛ ʜᴀꜱ ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪꜰᴜʟʟʏ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍɪᴄ ᴏʀ ᴡᴇʙᴛᴏᴏɴ.
ɪ’ᴍ ᴀɴ ᴀʀᴛɪꜱᴛ ꜱᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟɪᴢɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴄᴏᴍɪᴄꜱ, ᴍᴀɴɢᴀ, ᴡᴇʙᴛᴏᴏɴꜱ, ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ᴀʀᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴄᴏᴠᴇʀꜱ. ɪ’ᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴍɪꜱꜱɪᴏɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴀᴅᴀᴘᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴠɪꜱᴜᴀʟ ꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴀ ᴡɪᴅᴇʀ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴇɴᴄᴇ.
ɴᴏ ᴘʀᴇꜱꜱᴜʀᴇ ᴀᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴜᴛ. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ’ᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀʟᴋ ᴍᴏʀᴇ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ ꜰɪɴᴅ ᴍᴇ ᴏɴ ᴅɪꜱᴄᴏʀᴅ (ʙᴇɴɴᴇᴛᴛ_ʟᴏʟ) ᴏʀ ɪɴꜱᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ (ᴇᴠᴇ_ᴠᴇʀꜱᴇ_).
ꜱɪɴᴄᴇʀᴇʟʏ,
ʙᴇɴɴᴇᴛᴛ

Is this a scam, i can't tell?

MC-Stories said:

Bennett_jhon· 2 mins ago


ʜᴇʟʟᴏ,
ɪ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ ᴡᴇʟʟ. ɪ ʀᴇᴄᴇɴᴛʟʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀꜱ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ɪᴍᴘʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ. ɪᴛ ʜᴀꜱ ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪꜰᴜʟʟʏ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍɪᴄ ᴏʀ ᴡᴇʙᴛᴏᴏɴ.
ɪ’ᴍ ᴀɴ ᴀʀᴛɪꜱᴛ ꜱᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟɪᴢɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴄᴏᴍɪᴄꜱ, ᴍᴀɴɢᴀ, ᴡᴇʙᴛᴏᴏɴꜱ, ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ᴀʀᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴄᴏᴠᴇʀꜱ. ɪ’ᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴍɪꜱꜱɪᴏɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴀᴅᴀᴘᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴠɪꜱᴜᴀʟ ꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴀ ᴡɪᴅᴇʀ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴇɴᴄᴇ.
ɴᴏ ᴘʀᴇꜱꜱᴜʀᴇ ᴀᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴜᴛ. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ’ᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀʟᴋ ᴍᴏʀᴇ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ ꜰɪɴᴅ ᴍᴇ ᴏɴ ᴅɪꜱᴄᴏʀᴅ (ʙᴇɴɴᴇᴛᴛ_ʟᴏʟ) ᴏʀ ɪɴꜱᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ (ᴇᴠᴇ_ᴠᴇʀꜱᴇ_).
ꜱɪɴᴄᴇʀᴇʟʏ,
ʙᴇɴɴᴇᴛᴛ

Is this a scam, i can't tell?

Click to expand...

It’s a scam. He didn’t talk about the premises of your story, nor did he mention why he likes it—it’s a straight scam.

This is definitely a real, live humans person I can tell having also been a real humans person for many years. I bet they do all the things that humans do like breathe air and buy groceries like I, another humans person, does.

These scams are frustrating.

Didn't ask for feet pics. 100% a scam.

Anyone advertising themselves is a scam. On top of that, anyone trying to get you to talk to them on a different site (Discord, Instagram, etc.) is also a scammer. Honestly, I assume any comment I get that compliment-bombs my work is someone trying to sell me something. (Sometimes these people just give a compliment in hopes of getting you to engage with them, in which they'll push to talk off-site instead.) None of this is limited to Scribblehub btw. I've been on 6 other writing platforms and have gotten these comments on every single one of them. It's not even just "vague" compliments. These people will run your chapter through AI for a quick summary they can copy/paste. So, it's fairly safe to assume any comments giving your story long-winded compliments are from a scammer. (A normal person will just say something basic like "this is great I love it." They wouldn't ramble on about your amazing prose and concepts.)

ConansWitchBaby said:

Didn't ask for feet pics. 100% a scam.

Click to expand...

top kek
enjoy a (you)
(you) earned it

I don't get these scammers often here. But they are redonculous on Honeyfeed. Mods delete them quick, but I still get fake engagement bait that makes me sad in my happy place.

Yep, it's a scam. Also, I rarely get scammers here on SH or Wattpad, but I get them a LOT on FictionPress for some reason.

MC-Stories said:

Bennett_jhon· 2 mins ago


ʜᴇʟʟᴏ,
ɪ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ ᴡᴇʟʟ. ɪ ʀᴇᴄᴇɴᴛʟʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀꜱ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ɪᴍᴘʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ. ɪᴛ ʜᴀꜱ ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪꜰᴜʟʟʏ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍɪᴄ ᴏʀ ᴡᴇʙᴛᴏᴏɴ.
ɪ’ᴍ ᴀɴ ᴀʀᴛɪꜱᴛ ꜱᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟɪᴢɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴄᴏᴍɪᴄꜱ, ᴍᴀɴɢᴀ, ᴡᴇʙᴛᴏᴏɴꜱ, ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ᴀʀᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴄᴏᴠᴇʀꜱ. ɪ’ᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴍɪꜱꜱɪᴏɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴀᴅᴀᴘᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴠɪꜱᴜᴀʟ ꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴀ ᴡɪᴅᴇʀ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴇɴᴄᴇ.
ɴᴏ ᴘʀᴇꜱꜱᴜʀᴇ ᴀᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴜᴛ. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ’ᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀʟᴋ ᴍᴏʀᴇ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ ꜰɪɴᴅ ᴍᴇ ᴏɴ ᴅɪꜱᴄᴏʀᴅ (ʙᴇɴɴᴇᴛᴛ_ʟᴏʟ) ᴏʀ ɪɴꜱᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ (ᴇᴠᴇ_ᴠᴇʀꜱᴇ_).
ꜱɪɴᴄᴇʀᴇʟʏ,
ʙᴇɴɴᴇᴛᴛ

Is this a scam, i can't tell?

Click to expand...

90% chance that this is a scam. 9% chance this is just an offer to get you into a bad contract. 1% chance it's just a fisher trying to see if you have a live account it can direct future scammers to or if you are an automated uploader.

If it weren't in all caps, I wouldn't consider that last % but that makes it feel like one of THOSE...

CharlesEBrown said:

90% chance that this is a scam. 9% chance this is just an offer to get you into a bad contract. 1% chance it's just a fisher trying to see if you have a live account it can direct future scammers to or if you are an automated uploader.

If it weren't in all caps, I wouldn't consider that last % but that makes it feel like one of THOSE...

Click to expand...

and 90+9+1=100 percent chance it ain't nothing good.

They key to recognize a scammer is in the words they use, and the structure of the message.

MC-Stories said:

ɪ ʀᴇᴄᴇɴᴛʟʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀꜱ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ɪᴍᴘʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ. ɪᴛ ʜᴀꜱ ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇʀʏ

Click to expand...

MC-Stories said:

ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪꜰᴜʟʟʏ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍɪᴄ ᴏʀ ᴡᴇʙᴛᴏᴏɴ.

Click to expand...

MC-Stories said:

ɪ’ᴍ ᴀɴ ᴀʀᴛɪꜱᴛ

Click to expand...

MC-Stories said:

ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ’ᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀʟᴋ ᴍᴏʀᴇ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ ꜰɪɴᴅ ᴍᴇ ᴏɴ ᴅɪꜱᴄᴏʀᴅ (ʙᴇɴɴᴇᴛᴛ_ʟᴏʟ) ᴏʀ ɪɴꜱᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ (ᴇᴠᴇ_ᴠᴇʀꜱᴇ_).

Click to expand...

MC-Stories said:

(ʙᴇɴɴᴇᴛᴛ_ʟᴏʟ)
(ᴇᴠᴇ_ᴠᴇʀꜱᴇ_)

Click to expand...

Firstly, generic empty praise, mentioning nothing specific, but still calling on the impressive imagery of it. Always a big red flag, it's the scammer trying to hook you in, baiting you with a positive reception.
Then comes the hook - they give you the idea you need or want something (in this case to turn it into a comic/webtoon, but promotion, cover art and editing are common as well). Of course, they immediately follow this by presenting themselves as someone who can provide just that.
After this, they invite you to talk another platform, one where they won't be so easily banned. Those accounts are throwaways, but they can keep trying to exploit you on another platform long after this account gets the hammer. Contacting them also gives them more information to potentially sell.
And as a bonus, notice the different names across platforms. It's not necessarily something a legitimate artist would not do, but it's common for bots and scammers. I believe Eve is also one of the more common bot names.

Arkus86 said:

And as a bonus, notice the different names across platforms. It's not necessarily something a legitimate artist would not do, but it's common for bots and scammers.

Click to expand...

And notice how they don't scream when you dismembered them. A legitimate artist would not do such a thing. They wouldn't initiate contact with you. You would be the one contacting them for commission.

Only desperate artist with zero confidence and lack of marketing skills would knock clients door-to-door. The same goes for authors and editors.

Arkus86 said:

I believe Eve is also one of the more common bot names.

Click to expand...

I believe @Envylope is also one of them. Better change your real name to Evy.

Scammer. Form letter so not even a human scammer.
They used a form letter and did not even mention the name of your story.
They did not even mention the name of the story, any specific or anything that would talk about the story.
They did not even offer to link you to their portfolio if they are an artist.
Targets in these scams could be for money up front, or for some rights to your story, which you will then have to buy back off them for massive amounts, or other things

I personally would check to make sure by talking with them and not agreeing to anything.
Ask for their portfolio, maybe ask them to make a character art pic of a major character (supposedly just to see how good they are)

Rosica said:

I believe @Envylope is also one of them. Better change your real name to Evy.

Click to expand...

@Envylope is a bad pun. An Envelope is an old pre-computer term for a redirect. It comes from an old practice of hiding your trail by placing one addressed envelope in another. When people opened the outer envelope, they would post the next one inside, which might also contain an envelope. Thus hiding the trail for anyone trying to track it.

corruption said:

@Envylope is a bad pun.

Click to expand...

Her real name is Eve.

Rosica said:

Her real name is Eve.

Click to expand...

Or so she claims.