The publisher routinely monitors the web for occurrences of copyright infringement, libel, plagiarism, public relations, trademark infringement, and other issues related to their business model. During the final weekend of March the company discovered a number of web sites allegedly offering free PDF downloads of their most recently published 4th edition of The Gray Stopgap by DL Tolleson.
“We’re warning our customers that there is not a pdf of the novel released to the public,” publisher Ron Richard explained. “In all likelihood these web sites are utilizing the public’s interest in the novel for phishing schemes.”
Phishing is a scam by which a person is duped into revealing personal or confidential information which the scammer can then use. In the case of the web sites offering a free pdf, the unsuspecting sign-up for an e-book that does not exist and in the process becomes a victim through the theft of private information or through inadvertently allowing access to their computers.
“We’re aggressively implementing steps to end these shams,” Richard added. “But the public needs to be aware that this goes on all the time. In the case of The Gray Stopgap, please be aware that it is available only as a hard cover book and as a Kindle e-book. At no time whatsoever has it been available as a pdf.”
Customers and readers are advised to exercise caution in their buying habits: Purchase from reputable online vendors, independent brick-and-mortar book retailers and the larger book seller chains.