Fraud Warning: Fake “VIP Author Spotlight” Offers

This notice was published on September 9, 2026. We will update it if we learn of new variations of this scam.

Leanpub has become aware of a fraud targeting authors.

Third parties have contacted authors and attempted to sell a service described as a “VIP Author Spotlight Feature”, while representing or implying that the service is connected with Leanpub.

It is not.

Leanpub does not offer a “VIP Author Spotlight Feature.” There is no Leanpub VIP Author Spotlight, and there never has been.

If you found this page after searching for phrases like “Leanpub scam,” “Leanpub fraud,” or “fake Leanpub promotion” because you received one of these offers, you were right to check. The offer is the fraud, and Leanpub is being impersonated.

Ruboss Technology Corporation, which operates Leanpub:

• does not sell this service;
• has not authorized anyone else to sell this service on its behalf;
• does not receive payments for this service;
• does not employ or authorize the people offering this service; and
• does not offer a paid service promising a “Goodreads reviews boost.”

If someone contacts you offering a “VIP Author Spotlight Feature” and claims that it is provided by Leanpub, associated with Leanpub, authorized by Leanpub, or offered on Leanpub's behalf, that claim is false.

What the scam may look like

Based on information provided to us by an affected author, the scam may involve some or all of the following:

• An unsolicited approach to an author.
• A claim that the author has been selected or invited to participate in a special promotional opportunity.
• A service described as a “VIP Author Spotlight Feature.”
• Promises of priority placement or additional promotional exposure.
• Promises of personalized marketing or engagement support.
• Promises of increased reader visibility or reader engagement.
• A claimed “Goodreads reviews boost.”
• Statements suggesting that Goodreads reviews will improve a book's ranking or sales potential.
• Assignment of a supposed “marketing expert,” “adviser,” or similar person.
• Requests to make payment outside of Leanpub's normal checkout system.
• Requests for payment by bank transfer or to a third-party account.
• After payment, delays, postponed meetings, changing contacts, or unclear explanations about what is actually being provided.
• Refusal to issue a refund, sometimes accompanied by explanations that the money has already been distributed to other people or members of a supposed community.

These people are not Leanpub representatives.

A real report we received

We received a report from a Leanpub author who had been approached with an offer for a supposed “VIP Author Spotlight Feature.”

The author was told that the package would provide enhanced promotional exposure, personalized support, increased visibility and reader engagement, including what was specifically described as a “Goodreads reviews boost.”

The author paid the requested fee by bank transfer.

After payment, the author was passed between multiple supposed marketing advisers. Promised assistance was unreliable, meetings were repeatedly changed or postponed, and when the author asked one of the advisers about the promised Goodreads component, the adviser indicated that Goodreads was not actually part of their responsibility.

The author eventually terminated their participation and requested a refund.

The people operating the scheme refused to provide the requested refund and instead encouraged the author to continue using the service. They also claimed that the money had already been distributed within their organization or to members of their team.

The author subsequently contacted Leanpub directly.

That was when we became aware of the fraud.

Leanpub had no involvement in the service, had not authorized anyone to offer it, and had never received the author's payment.

We are publishing this warning to help other authors avoid the same scam.

How to recognize legitimate Leanpub payments

If you are purchasing something from Leanpub, make sure you are actually dealing with Leanpub.

A third party asking you to transfer money directly to an individual, bank account, marketing adviser, promotional organization, community, or other outside recipient is not the same thing as paying Leanpub.

Do not assume that someone represents Leanpub simply because:

• they mention Leanpub;
• they know the title of your book;
• they know that you are a Leanpub author;
• they contact you after finding your book on Leanpub;
• they use Leanpub's name or logo;
• they describe themselves as a marketing expert, publishing adviser, promotion specialist, or similar;
• they claim to have been assigned to you by Leanpub; or
• they say that an opportunity is available specifically to Leanpub authors.

If you are uncertain, contact Leanpub directly before sending any money.

Unsolicited promotional pitches that do not claim to be from Leanpub are a related problem. Our Help Center article I'm a Leanpub author getting spammed by people offering services. What can I do? covers those.

Goodreads

Leanpub does not sell a service called a “Goodreads reviews boost.” There is no Leanpub Goodreads reviews boost.

Anyone claiming that a Leanpub “VIP Author Spotlight Feature” includes a Goodreads reviews boost is making a false claim.

Do not pay anyone claiming to represent Leanpub in exchange for Goodreads reviews, rankings, promotional boosts, or similar services.

If you have already paid

If you believe you have paid one of these scammers:

1. Stop communicating with them about additional payments.

2. Do not send them any more money.

3. Preserve all evidence. Keep copies of:

   • emails;
   • messages;
   • usernames or profiles;
   • websites;
   • screenshots;
   • payment instructions;
   • invoices;
   • receipts;
   • bank-transfer information;
   • names used by the people involved; and
   • any claims that they work for or represent Leanpub.

4. Contact your bank or payment provider immediately. Explain that you believe you were induced to send money as part of a fraud. Ask whether the transfer can be recalled, reversed, investigated, or reported to the receiving financial institution.

5. Contact Leanpub. Send us the communications in which the person claimed or implied that they represented Leanpub.

When sending information to Leanpub, do not send us your own bank account number, banking credentials, passwords, authentication codes, or other sensitive financial information.

If a receipt or payment record contains your personal banking details, redact those details before sending us a copy.

Keep the original unredacted records for your own evidence.

How to report suspected Leanpub impersonation

Our team is based in Victoria, Canada, and typically replies on weekdays during normal working hours in Pacific Time.

Important clarification

Leanpub is not the recipient of these payments

When a scammer impersonates Leanpub and persuades someone to send money directly to the scammer or another third party, Leanpub does not receive that money.

Leanpub therefore cannot refund money that was never paid to Leanpub.

If you have already sent money, contact your bank or payment provider immediately and report the transaction as suspected fraud.

Leanpub will nevertheless investigate reports of people impersonating us or abusing our platform to target authors.