The Big Con, published a month ago, has already gotten a half-dozen 5-star Amazon reviews, and it will become a documentary featuring interviews with 7 of the 10 victims who share their stories in the book. As the book describes, the victims paid thousands of dollars thinking the company was finding Hollywood producers and executives to produce a film based on their book. They even thought they would get a $80,000 to $180,000 advance, but it was all a scam to get them to pay more money for materials and marketing. Then, when they were out of money, the scammers were gone.
The book has been getting high praise on Amazon, and there is now a Facebook group at "Scammed" that features information on different types of scams and how to avoid them. These excerpts are drawn from a follow-up book I Was Scammed, by The Big Con author Gini Graham Scott, PhD. She exposed the book-to-film scam after she thought she was creating legitimate materials for books with film potential. But then she discovered the company had created imposter executives supposedly from real companies, after she spoke with one victim, and that led her to speak to a dozen more victims, whose stories are in the book. The Amazon link to the Kindle book is at https://www.amazon.com/Big-Story-Victims-Writer-Victim-ebook/dp/B09H7RCXMF and there are paperback and hardcover editions. A landing page for the book is at http://www.thebigconbook.com
Here's some examples of the latest 5-Star Amazon reviews:
Wow, a writers worst nightmare came true!
Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2021
"I had no idea about this scam; until I read this book. To have your passion destroyed by a scam is unfortunate, to say the least! Ms.Scott brings everything out into the open. I can not wait to see the documentary."
Debbie Johnson
More than advertised
Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2021
"The Big Con book does a great job of detailing the offer, the scam, and the consequences faced by writers trying to take the big leap into film. But the information presented is pertinent to more than writers - the book gives us a look into the minds of the scammed and the scammers, which gives us insights into all types of potential scams. Ms. Scott's book is one that should be read before you jump into ANY offer that might be playing to your ego!"
Chuck Hooper
Best illustrated, informal manual for avoiding scams.
Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2021
"The book illustrates various other artists, writers, that have been duped by scammers who recount their stories. I like the book because it presents unique schemes to avoid that can give other likely victims of scams a notion on what to avoid if they are also associated with similar deals in attempting to get their book published or even on film."
Chris Mentillo
The dark side of dreaming
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2021
"Sometimes our dreams can turn into nightmares and that's what I feel Ms. Scott discusses in The Big Con, people being scammed and taken advantage of in the hopes of more and the next step in their journey. Unfortunately, the book does a wonderful job illustrating how these people were scammed into believing something they had hoped for only to find out it was all a lie. Good read.
Robert Newman
THE BIG CON will be a documentary film featuring a many of the victims, with half the proceeds going to compensate those victims. The Facebook group/s link to the Scammed group is https://www.facebook.com/groups/1060223038128200. Once The Big Con film is released, half of the proceeds will go to the victims in the film.
For more information and to set up interviews:
Karen Andrews
Executive Assistant to Gini Graham Scott
Changemakers Publishing and Writing
Lafayette, CA 94549 . (925) 385-0608
changemakers@pacbell.net
www.changemakerspublishingandwriting.com