Scammers and Predators

This post is for writers. Well, actually for anyone, as a warning to be careful. Just because someone emails, texts, or calls to tell you that they are so and so, it doesn't mean that they're telling you the truth. Analyze what they write or say, and if you are able to, always verify. So, this person has been after me for a longtime. I can tell because their writing style is always the same. 

 

They started with my twitter/X account, telling me that they are a great marketer with ties to book clubs. At another point in time, they pretended to be Judith McNaught. It was easy to check and find out that they were lying. They had no marketing experience, and Judith McNaught doesn't have a social media account. 

 

However, this person didn't stop there. They tried to contact me through my website, pretending to be a Pulitzer Prize nonfiction writer who liked my books and wanted to befriend me. Later they pretended to be a literary agent, and so on. All were easy to verify. And by the way, if I cannot verify someone, I just ignore what they say.

Last week, the same person pretended to be an editor named, Maddie Thornham, from Pan Macmillan Publishers, and their request sounded pretty good. I'm guessing they used AI. Below is what they said:

 

Pan Macmillan came across the Dawn of Saudi: In Search for Freedom. Hi Homa, I hope you're having a great week. My name is Maddie Thornham, and I am an Editor at Pan Macmillan. I recently spent some time looking into your work, specifically the Dawn of Saudi: In Search for Freedom, and I was impressed by the emotionally layered storytelling, the cross-cultural perspective, and the way the novel intertwines romance and mystery with themes surrounding women's rights and personal freedom. I would be very interested to learn more about your current and forthcoming projects, as well as whether you are represented by a literary agent. If you do have representation, I would be pleased to continue any discussion through your agent. If not, I would be happy to outline how the process typically works, should there be interest in taking the conversation further. Subject to reviewing additional material, there may be scope for a broader discussion regarding potential fit within Pan Macmillan. If this is of interest, I would be delighted to hear from you. 

 

Besides being a scam artist, this person wasn't too bright. This is the email they gave: macmillan@maddie-thornham.com. If they were legit, the email would have been more like: maddiethornham@panmacmillan.com, and not the other way around. But even so, I would have still verified them through the publisher's website. Also, publishers and agents do not solicit business. Pan Macmillan publishers have a whole section on these scam artists.

 

After these attempts, they tried again claiming to be an influencer who wants to interview me for my booka on their famous YouTube channel. 

Side note: When my book about the oppression of women in Saudi Arabia first came out, someone on twitter/X invited me to Qatar to give a speech at a book convention. The Book Convention was real. This person was a real person, and I had had a bunch of conversations with him, but I ignored his offer. I knew the dangers of going to Qatar because my book was controversial. He then insisted again, telling me that his organization will pay for a first-class ticket, and a five-star hotel plus all expenses paid. All I could think of was that his organization would get me a one way ticket, and my family would never see me again. Had I gone, my fate would have been just like Jamal Khashoggi. 

 

So, be careful. We live in a world full of scammers, and it keeps getting worse, specially now with AI taking over everything.

 

Rancho Palos Verdes

On a nice relaxing day, I headed out to Pointe Vicente Interpretive center I had heard so much about. Parking and entrance fees are free. It can get busy on weekends.

It's an educational center about whales and cetaceans with charts and displays regarding when whaling began in California, the natives who lived there, and the trades they made. It talks about how when whales sleep, half their brain stays awake, while the other half rests.

Tongva, the native inhabitants of Palos Verdes, were hunters who traded salt, shell beads, and dried fish with inland native tribes. They didn't hunt whales, but they did use the bones of whales left behind to make tools, and seats.

The above whale display is great for kids. They can open each door to see the function of the whale's organ.

There is a shop there with marine theme. 

The Los Angeles Chapter of The American Cetacean Society has volunteers (above Photo) who conduct gray whale census on the patio of Pointe Vicente Interpretive center. After you leave Center, start walking toward the water, and you will see the volunteers in a roped off section with binoculars, watching, counting, and tracking Gray Whales, humpback, Risso and bottlenose dolphins, and other sightings which may also include the bald eagle, owl, osprey, and other birds. Everything is recorded on a chart, according to the season.

The day that I visited, the lighthouse was closed, but I still enjoyed looking at it from a distance.

The hiking grounds are fenced off, and some are numbered. So, if you get separated from your friends, you can call them, and say for example, "I'm at 137. Where are you?"

This is such a lovely area, and you will want to stay there forever, especially when the temperatures are comfortable, and the sun is out.

I went for an easy hike, but had a hard time hiking, because I kept wanting to stop, and take in the beautiful views.

There is a resort called Terranea, about a seven minute drive, that's worth a visit. Parking is $20 plus tipping the valet. The grounds are pretty, and the vibe is chill. They have several restaurants, and one of the more casual ones is called Nelson's. The ocean view is nice, especially at sunset, but if you're vegan/vegetarian, and don't eat fish, skip it. They have one salad on their menu, and it's pretty awful. Another option was mushroom with cheese and fries which I turned down. Also, don't order the nachos because they don't use real cheese. My friend had a shrimp taco and said it was good.

But honestly, if you want to catch the sunset, bring a picnic dinner, and go back to the patio of pointe Vicente Interpretive center with benches, tables, and incredible views, or sit on one of the wooden benches along the hiking path.