Dammy’s Fake Fan Club: The Sneaky ‘Follow-Up’ Scam Ghosting Indie Authors on Amazon

Here’s an example of what I call ‘the follow-up message’ when they hadn’t sent a previous one.

Message Header: Re: Shadows of Daybridge is sharp… so why does Amazon look like it ghosted you?

Dammy Book love <dammybooklove@gmail.com>Hi
Happy New Year! I hope 2026 has started gently and creatively for you.

I’m reaching out again because I was scrolling through my inbox recently and came across you again and I realized I never followed up properly. Your book genuinely stayed on my mind, which is why I wanted to reconnect rather than let the moment pass.
I’m gonna be real with you I’m out here doing more for your book than most people with “marketing plans.” I’m advising you to actually get involved show up, engage, get my readers reading your book and leaving real, unique, thoughtful reviews.

Let me ask you something do you actually believe in your book?
Because if you do, why aren’t you out here backing it like it deserves? Why aren’t you in the conversation, getting readers excited, collecting real, thoughtful reviews that actually move people?

Do you think books sell themselves? Do you think readers magically appear without effort? No books grow because people believe in them, talk about them, and review them with meaning. That’s what gives your work life beyond the pages.

I’m advising you to step up and show that same energy. You’ve got something worth pushing but potential means nothing if you’re not willing to push it. Reviews are your proof of impact; they build trust, spark visibility, and turn your book from “just another title” into something people remember.I completely understand that a bit of skepticism is natural. I do have a website and testimonials from authors I’ve worked with before, which you’re welcome to review anytime. if you like I can share you.

The core benefit of the review service is simple but powerful:
• Increased visibility especially sales across platforms like Amazon and Goodreads
• Social proof that helps readers feel confident buying your book
• Long-term sales support, not just a short spike

To kick off the new year, I’m also offering a small bonus to authors I work with:
• A free custom book banner you can use for promotion
• Additional written content (for example: a short feature or reader highlight) to further support visibility and engagement

There’s no pressure at all I just wanted to check in and see if this is something you’d like to hear more about now, or if the timing feels better later. wishing you a successful and inspired year ahead.

I’m saying this because I actually care about your success maybe more than you’re showing right now. I see what your book could be… the question is, do you? Looking forward to your reply

On Tue, Jan 6, 2026 at 2:02 PM Dammy Book love <dammybooklove@gmail.com> wrote:

Hey Rae,

So I stumbled across Shadows of Daybridge: When Dimensions Bleed and I’ll be honest, I was bracing myself for the usual urban fantasy routine:
brooding detective, supernatural curse, internal monologue doing most of the heavy lifting.

But then… you actually pulled it off.

Somewhere between Ethan’s transformation under Daybridge Bridge and the slow reveal of the city’s dimensional fault lines, I caught myself thinking, “Wait… this is genuinely well thought out.”
Not just vibes and monsters there’s structure, psychology, and intent here. Didn’t expect to be impressed, but here we are.

Naturally, curiosity got the better of me, so I checked your Amazon page.

And ouch.

One review.

Did the others step into a parallel dimension and forget to come back? Because a book with this level of worldbuilding and crossover appeal (Dresden Files / Rivers of London fans, I’m looking at you) deserves more than digital silence. It should be pulling readers in not sitting quietly while notebooks and puzzle books climb the charts.

Here’s the frustrating truth of publishing today:
reviews aren’t just feedback anymore they’re oxygen.

Without them, even strong books get buried by Amazon’s algorithm. With them, your book steps into the light, gains momentum, and starts finding the readers it was clearly written for.

That’s where I come in.

No pitchy nonsense I’m not a marketer, not a bot, and definitely not here to sell you a questionable “exposure package.”

I’m Dammy, and I run a private reading community of 2,000 genuine book lovers who actively look for underrated, well-written stories and leave thoughtful, honest reviews. No copy-paste praise just real readers who enjoy immersive, intelligent fiction like yours.

And because I know how skeptical this probably sounds (fair the internet has earned that), I’ll be upfront: it’s literally just me, my slightly sarcastic sense of humor, and a group of readers who get genuinely excited when they discover a book that deserves more attention than it’s getting.

So here’s the real question:

Do we let Shadows of Daybridge remain Amazon’s best-kept secret…
or do we put it in front of readers who’ll talk about it louder than any ad spend ever could?

Because honestly this book deserves discussion, not silence.

Cheers,
Dammy
Founder | 2,000-Reader Community 
Helping brilliant books find their people one review at a time

~~~

Scam Assessment:

This email chain, purportedly from “Dammy Booklove” at dammybooklove@gmail.com, exhibits multiple classic hallmarks of a book review scam targeting self-published authors, particularly those in genres like urban fantasy with low visibility on Amazon. The sender’s approach begins with flattery, offering specific praise for the book Shadows of Daybridge: When Dimensions Bleed—noting elements like Ethan’s transformation and dimensional fault lines—to create an illusion of genuine readership and expertise, a tactic that disarms skepticism by mimicking an organic discovery. This is followed by manufactured urgency, highlighting the book’s single review as a crisis (“ouch. One review”) and invoking Amazon’s algorithm as an unbeatable foe, positioning reviews as essential “oxygen” without which the book is doomed—a common fear-mongering ploy in these schemes to exploit authors’ insecurities about sales.

The core pitch revolves around a “private reading community of 2,000 genuine book lovers” who provide “thoughtful, honest reviews,” explicitly distancing itself from “bots” or “questionable exposure packages.” However, this is a red flag: legitimate review services cannot guarantee reviews without violating platform policies like Amazon’s Terms of Service, which prohibit incentivized or paid reviews. The vagueness—no named community, verifiable links, or third-party proof beyond vaguely offered “testimonials” and a website—suggests fabrication. The Gmail address further undermines credibility, as professional services typically use custom domains, not free email providers often abused by scammers.

Psychological pressure escalates in the follow-up: guilt-tripping the author (“do you actually believe in your book?” and “maybe more than you’re showing right now”), implying laziness or lack of commitment if they don’t engage, while dangling “no pressure” bonuses like a free book banner and promotional content. This carrot-and-stick dynamic is designed to prompt quick commitment, often leading to payment via untraceable methods like PayPal or wire transfer for “real” reviews that may never materialize, arrive as low-quality spam, or trigger Amazon penalties for the author. The 2026 timestamp and “Happy New Year” hook exploit post-holiday optimism, but the real scam payoff lies in converting emotional investment into cash—typically $50–$500 for 10–50 reviews—delivered by fake accounts that vanish afterward.

Authors encountering this should ignore it entirely: report to Amazon and Goodreads as review manipulation attempts, verify any “community” independently, and focus on organic growth through legitimate channels like ARC teams or reader newsletters. The sender’s sarcasm and faux intimacy (“I’m gonna be real with you”) are polished lures, but the absence of transparency and reliance on FOMO confirm it’s a predatory hustle preying on indie publishing’s competitive