Beta Reader Group discussion

As you’ve probably noticed, recently there has been a surge of spam and scam activity within our group. Certain individuals have been posting advertisements inappropriately across multiple folders, including the “Paid Services Offered” and “Authors Seeking FREE Betas” sections. They are invading our space (posting their advertisement in posts that belong to other members, even several times a day), and promoting their services under false pretenses.

Specifically, these scammers:

- Contact authors claiming to review the first three chapters, but the feedback is generated by AI, not by actual readers.
- Request testimonials and then direct you to Fiverr links requiring payment to leave reviews.
- Continue to ask for payments for reading or feedback, even in designated free service folders.

If you've had a negative experience with these scammers, please share your story here. Let’s work together to keep our group a safe and supportive space for genuine authors and beta readers.

These are the names and emails (as they share it in all their comments) of the offendants:

Hayley (digihayleyxdavid@gmail.com)
Ola / Sam (samhorla3@gmail.com)
Helen (helenyzmary@gmail.com)
Debbykaay (debbieekenth@gmail.com)
Benjamin (davideebenjamin@gmail.com) (constantly changing email accounts)
Royal (odutayoroyal@gmail.com)
Reader (readeryusiroh@gmail.com)
May (maryxsolomon@gmail.com)
Julie Catherine (sometimes goes by just Catherine) (damseyjulie@gmail.com)


This list is growing by the minute, as they can keep making new accounts, possibly to get away with their misconduct. I will keep updating this list if needed.

I've recently been conversing with Helen but did not pay them for the beta read yet. Does anyone have any bad experiences with them? Are they a scammer? Do they use AI? Just want to be cautious.

Caela wrote: "I've recently been conversing with Helen but did not pay them for the beta read yet. Does anyone have any bad experiences with them? Are they a scammer? Do they use AI? Just want to be cautious. Th..."

Hi Caela. I advise you to check on the “Authors Seeking FREE betas” folder, in the posts from a few days back. Some authors have made complaints about the person, and some others mentioned on the list. These people provide feedback made by AI. I recommend you to ask Helen (or any beta you decide to hire) for a free sample of their work instead (made for you specifically). Any legitimate beta reader should be able to provide it. Then you can judge for yourself if their feedback is AI or not.

Olivia wrote: "Caela wrote: "I've recently been conversing with Helen but did not pay them for the beta read yet. Does anyone have any bad experiences with them? Are they a scammer? Do they use AI? Just want to b..."

Thank you for your prompt reply and advice!

Helen wrote: "Hey Olivia,
You said I'm a scammer and I would love you to prove that because i only asked for a review on fiverr if comfortable for you after all my effort on your manuscript, but i can see you di..."

Helen, thank you for confirming yourself that you’ve been asking authors to leave reviews for you on Fiverr, which is a website in which reviews can only be made AFTER paying.

Also, let me share with you the definition of blackmailing as you seem to be unaware of its meaning: to demand money or another benefit from (someone) in return for not revealing compromising or damaging information about them.

By making this post, I don’t demand anything from anyone. I’m not revealing or threatening to reveal anything about anyone either, as your misconduct is public for everyone to see in several posts across different folders in this group.

I’m warning the community (as it’s my right to do so) on how you and the rest of the people mentioned on the list, have continuously violated the rules of the group, disrupting the respectful dynamic between the members that the group has had for years now.

Hi Olivia,
I recently joined the Goodreads platform and a couple of days ago I joined the group.

It’s true that I use AI, but to correct my own texts (like this one I’m sending), since English isn't my first language and I sometimes make mistakes in some sentences. It helps me understand why and how to improve.

I don't understand why I'm on this list, I’ve left my email in some posts asking for beta readers, but I haven’t been able to reply to anyone yet, as no one has sent me their draft so far.

Claudia Arrow wrote: "Hi Olivia,
I recently joined the Goodreads platform and a couple of days ago I joined the group.

It’s true that I use AI, but to correct my own texts (like this one I’m sending), since English isn..."

Claudia, your comments are worded exactly the same as the rest of the spammers, your activity on the group is almost identical to them. I suggest you to personalize your comments a bit more to not be flagged as one of them. I’ve updated the list without your name on it.

Olivia wrote: "Claudia Arrow wrote: "Hi Olivia,
I recently joined the Goodreads platform and a couple of days ago I joined the group.

It’s true that I use AI, but to correct my own texts (like this one I’m sendi..."

Thanks for your advice! I will definitely put it into practice so that there are no misunderstandings.

Bumping this post to inform about the spammers / scammers that have continued to invade the spaces of other beta readers posting their advertisements on this folder of the group:

Reader Yusiroh (yusirohibrahim@gmail.com)
Helen Mary (helenyzmary@gmail.com)

Please stay safe and make sure to report everyone who doesn’t abide by the rules of the group.

Thank you, Olivia. Good looking out!

adding another to the list

Fiyin: fiyinsamuel2@gmail.com

and another

Sparkle: sparklewriters01@gmail.com

If you reply to posts in the sections for free betas with the intention of seeking payment for your work, the you’re a scammer.

The two posters above reply to almost every person looking for free beta readers. Either they are incredibly generous, or they are trying to trick people into paying for their services.

It isn’t trash. It isn’t hard to understand. If you tell someone looking for an unpaid beta reader that you want to read their work, with the intention of asking them for money, you’re hustling them.

Fiyin wrote: "Hello Nicole
This is actually trash if you do not know"

A few hours after posting this comment here, you bumped your post on this folder for the second time within a week. A post that should be bumped ONE TIME PER MONTH per the rules of the group, which you seem not to care about. So yes, Fiyin, you are a spammer and don’t respect the equality that should exist in the members of the group.

Bumping this post to include new offendants to the list. Be cautious when engaging with these people.

Etim Mary (etimmary8967@gmail.com)
TheAuthor’S (theauthorsalchemist@gmail.com)

I'm not sure if this is the correct place to ask, but has my section in the "paid services offered" been getting deleted? When I first put it up, it vanished, and it has now vanished a second time.

Bumping the post to include new offendants. Be cautious when engaging with these people, as you might be receiving an AI report and/or getting scammed.

Folaji Darasimi: folajioluwadarasimi17@gmail.com
Abigael Elizabeth: davidooelizabeth@gmail.com

I also invite everyone to check this thread from the “Authors Seeking FREE Betas” folder, in which several authors have reported scammers on the group: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I recently requested free beta readers on Bluesky, Facebook, and X/Twitter. Here are the emails of people who reached out, offered to beta read for free, then asked for a "small order" because they are "just starting out on Fiverr."

peterstallard8@gmail.com (Has several different names, Stallard Peter, Tori Edit, Tori Peter)

theauthorsalchemist@gmail.com (Recently deleted their Bluesky account)

ayomipokehinde60@gmail.com (Kehinde Ayomipo. Has a profile on Goodreads that seems dubious; has a Threads profile that calims he's a website designer. A Google Lens search opf his profile picture IDs him as "Lameck Mokua - Medical Claims Analyst at Old Mutual Kenya")

ayokunmiosanyinjobi12@gmail.com (Goes by Ayokunmi Osanyinjobi and Emmanuel Kunmi; This person did a beta read of my novel for free and did not ask for money, but I could tell that their analysis was, at least in part, generated by AI since they got an obvious, major plot point completely wrong.)

Wow, David. I'm sorry that happened to you. Thanks for the detailed information, though. It might really help somebody else out.