Over the past year, we’ve been made aware of several individuals pretending to be “book experts” and falsely claiming to work for Coriolis Company. These impersonators—most recently posing under names like Enzo Marvio or JustineBookExpert—have contacted authors directly via social media, offering “book publicity services” and claiming to work for Coriolis.
Let us be clear: these people are not part of our team. They never have been. We don’t know who they are, but based on our research, they seem to be scammers living overseas, using fake names and AI-generated photos.
We take these incidents seriously and want to help authors stay safe from exploitation. We have reported them to Facebook and also posted warnings about them.
Please know:
- Coriolis Company is not a publisher – We don’t promise book deals. Our expertise includes book publicity and marketing, expert positioning for academic authors, and media strategy. The scammers solicited authors, promising to publish their book, or edit them and then connect them to publishers (acting as sort of fake agents). That’s not something we’d ever do, and we recommend steering clear of anyone offering those services, as no legitimate agent, editor, or publisher ever solicits authors.
- We never cold-message authors – If you receive a direct message or unsolicited pitch claiming to be a book expert from Coriolis, that’s a red flag. We don’t DM authors via social media to see if they’d like to engage us. If someone claims to be a “representative” or “freelancer” affiliated with us, they are lying to you.
- Our process of engagement is transparent – All engagements begin with a scheduled, paid consultation booked via this website, and if the fit is mutual, continue with a clear, written contract. We never ask for payment for “services” through messaging apps or unverified channels, unlike the people who have been reported to us. Any business or freelancer that does that is suspicious.
How to Spot a Scam
Here are a few red flags to watch for:
- Unsolicited social media direct messages claiming to represent Coriolis Company
- High-pressure sales tactics, limited-time offers, or overly eager pitches
- Inconsistent contact info or lack of a verifiable company email
- Claims a reputable company wouldn’t make, such as guaranteed media placements or publishing deals
- Requests for payment up front without any consultation, especially via Western Union or other overseas wire transfer methods
If something feels off, trust your instincts. You can always reach out to us directly through our official contact page to confirm whether you’re dealing with a true Coriolis representative (most likely not!).
What to Do if a Scammer Contacts You
If you’ve received a suspicious message:
- Don’t engage. Block the sender immediately.
- Send us a screenshot. We’ll help confirm whether the outreach was legitimate.
- Report them. Facebook and other social networks might not take immediate action, but if enough people report them, hopefully they will eventually be removed and banned.
Stay Vigilant
Coriolis Company was founded to support authors, not add to their stress. We remain committed to transparency, professionalism, and protecting authors from exploitation.
For more on this topic, see our companion article:
Author Alert: Identifying Red Flags When Hiring Book Publicists
