BAIPA monthly meetings are now on Zoom, with hybrid meetings (Zoom and in-person) twice a year (June and December). The Zoom links will be provided to you via email on the Friday evening before, around 9 PM.
Therefore, all non-members MUST register in advance in order to participate. However, all current BAIPA members will get the Zoom info for this session automatically.
Please scroll down to the bottom of this page if you need a non-member ticket.
The general meeting begins at 9 am, the speaker presentation is at 11 am, after Q&A, networking time, introductions & announcements.
(Click here for the schedule for the day)
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Red Flags and Rip-Offs: How Authors Can Spot & Avoid Scams
with Matty Dalrymple
Authors—especially those navigating indie publishing—are frequent targets for scammers. From vanity publishers and fake agents to bogus contests, promotional solicitations, and phishing emails, bad actors exploit authors’ enthusiasm and inexperience.
In this eye-opening session, author and publishing educator Matty Dalrymple explains how these schemes operate and how to recognize the warning signs. Using specific examples and the easy-to-apply SALSA Test, she shows participants how to assess unfamiliar offers, research the people and companies behind them, recognize pressure tactics and suspicious claims, and distinguish legitimate opportunities from costly or dangerous ones.
The presentation also covers contract terms that can jeopardize rights and royalties; practical methods for protecting money, personal information, and online accounts; trustworthy resources for vetting services; and where to report scams or seek redress.
Participants will leave with greater confidence about how to evaluate questionable opportunities, how to respond when a message may be legitimate, and when not to respond at all. The session includes time for audience questions.
Key Takeaways:
• Identify red flags in publishing solicitations, agent outreach, contests, promotional offers, and phishing emails.
• Apply the SALSA Test and other practical checks to evaluate suspicious messages and opportunities.
• Recognize contract terms that could jeopardize rights and royalties.
• Use trustworthy resources to vet services, report scams, seek redress, and decide when not to respond.
About Our Speaker
Matty Dalrymple is the author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers, the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels and Shorts, and nonfiction books for writers. As The Indy Author, she educates and advocates for writers and hosts and produces The Indy Author Podcast. She has presented at the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, ALLi SelfPubCon, Author Nation, Authors Guild webinars, International Thriller Writers’ CraftFest, and many other events. Her articles have appeared in Writer’s Digest magazine, and she is an Alliance of Independent Authors Partner Member.
