Beware this possible scammer!
So, I recently received this message that immediately set off alarm bells because:
It was incredibly vague, only including details of the fic that you can get from the description
Was phrased in a very "AI" way
Seemed to imply the fic is completed, when it's not
Seemed to imply two characters were in a relationship, when they're not (yet)
Feeling suspicious, I played along and messaged for a bit. The messages continued to sound weirdly AI-generated and they reiterated several times that they had really enjoyed reading my fic.
So, I decided to ask a simple question about the fic:
Anyone who's read Heart and Soul will know that Harry is NEVER friends with Ron and Hermione in that fic. They barely interact. They aren't friends. One of them dies very early on. So this person obviously lied about having read the fic, which is very weird.
Other indications of deceptive behaviour include:
Claiming to be from the US, but then consistently messaging when it's 4am in the part of America she claimed to be from - suggesting she's more likely in a European or Asian timezone.
Her profile picture being a screenshot from an Instagram video - she had forgotten to fully crop out the mute button.
Asking the same question twice ("What do you do beside writing? Do you have a job or are you studying?") at two different points in the conversation, as if copy-pasting from a script but forgetting she'd already done that bit.
I blocked her because I wasn't comfortable talking to someone who was constantly lying to me, but I'm a bit baffled at what the motivation could be tbh.
I assume it's some kind of scam where they try to build up a rapport with you first, before either asking for money or trying to move you onto another platform? It's very odd!
I am blessed to have many genuine readers who reach out, so I know what a genuine reader sounds like, and this wasn't it. Trust your gut - if something feels off, listen to that feeling. Stay safe out there!
izzy806
pixelskylines
amandla
stormborns
