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Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Attention MUST Be Paid to Google Alerts! (More Wisdom for Wednesday)


Earlier today I posted some wisdom for Wednesday which came from two PEANUTS comic strips, but, I've subsequently received words of wisdom re a scammer posting fake new re volume two of my book series, Words In Our Beak.

I am now sharing it here as a warning to anyone who might come across certain info regarding this book. I received a notification (via email) from Google Alerts stating "[kMf.ebook] Words-Our-Beak-Patricia-Youngquist Free Download.pdf. [kMf.ebook] Words-Our-Beak-Patricia-Youngquist Free Download.pdf. Open."

Since I have not authorized a free downloadable version of this book (or any of my books) I was surprised to see this alert which included this link to a "source" that is claiming I have such a book available. Within that link is a copy of the picture that can be seen atop this entry and I have added an image of a warning sign (from an Epilepsy foundation), to catch your attention, dear reader, for if you come across this info, I am warning you that it is totally fraudulent.

After I received the aforementioned email, I contacted Chris Deatherage (CD), my web-site designer who is also the formatter and editor of the book series (seen below) and informed him of the Google alert.

VOLUMES ONE AND TWO

CD emailed me back stating:

As to this alert, I really don't know what to tell you. If you click the link given in the alert, your web browser will open a 3-page PDF (attached), and if you click the download link there, you are re-directed to Volume 2's page on what appears to be an online library. It purports to be a free online library, but there is a click to start free trial button that makes me think you have to get some sort of membership to read ebooks for free. I can't learn anything more without creating an account, and what I can see on that libraryubook page indicates this version has been downloaded 460 times. It also seems to show a thumbnail of a two-page spread--which looks nothing like our book.

What concerns me is whether it really is your book, and if so, how did this entity get the book in the first place? Your alert came from Google, which has nothing to do with Amazon or Barnes & Noble. What I suggest doing it call Ingram and ask if they have any experience/knowledge with this--especially since you did not set up/authorize Vol. 2 as an ebook. Then, you'll probably have to approach Google somehow. You may even need to check with Amazon and Barnes & Noble. But start with Ingram.

Ingram is the company that published my book series and fortunately I reached a helpful person at their organization, who after some investigating found out the extent of this fake news and 

He followed up with an email stating:

"... You called today regarding a link you were forwarded regarding your title 'Words In Our Beak, Volume Two' possibly being available for free online, as informed on the call, you have not set up or authorized an eBook of your title to be available, the link provided leads to a fraudulent site which is a scam to take advantage of people who can be vulnerable online and as you had stated you would do, please make an announcement to your followers on facebook regarding this sort of thing to avoid any of your potential customers falling for this sort of scam." 

As you can see I'm keeping my word to the Ingram specialist and warning any potential WIOB book customers to stay away from this site. 

The Ingram specialist also provided a couple of two links a person can turn to should they come across a situation like this here they are LINK ONE and LINK TWO.

I'm most grateful to have reached such a support person at Ingram who also happened to wear a private detective hat. Maybe he should take on a second job at the Two Guys Detective Agency....


... but then they'd have to change their name to Three Guys Detective Agency.

ADDENDUM SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2021:

When the third volume of the hard-cover version of Words In Our Beak was released, I withdrew from promoting my former versions of Words In Our Beak. 

The very first one is an iBook and went into Apple's book store in 2015.


This was followed by an ePub version...


... that is available on Amazon and was also published in 2015.

Subsequently, Words In Our Beak's digital versions were published as a soft-cover book (with slight variations) by MagCloud in 2017.


Its press release can be read by clicking here.  

Now with the release of BIRD TALES....


... I've been advised to make mention of my early versions of volume one of Words In Our Beak, they do vary ever so slightly in content from the hard-cover version of volume one.

As of this addendum, I do not intend to create digital or soft-cover versions of Words In Our Beak Volume Two or Words In Our Beak Volume Three.

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