The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #137556   Message #3146782
Posted By: ChrisJBrady
02-May-11 - 08:03 PM
Thread Name: BS: Betascript Publishing Scam
Subject: BS: Betascript Publishing Scam
This is a warning about a publishing 'scam' that is sucking in hundreds if not thousands of unwitting victims. Betascript and Alphascript are automatically harvesting articles from Wiki - which are free to all - then turning the text into books which are 'printed on demand' at $45 or £26 approx. These titles are listed on Amazon and eBay in their thousands (literally) who are doing nothing to control this 'scam.'

These thousands of titles are also swamping book lists of many thousands of book sellers from W.H.Smith to Barnes & Noble to even Tesco.

This 'scam' also violates intellectual property rights, if not the actual copyright of the many Wiki authors affected.

But the real issue is also that the vast majority of Wiki contributors have invested time and money and energy and resources to raise the integrity of Wiki as a FREE resource for all.

I refer readers to the following websites:

http://www.massage-research.com/blog/

http://www.massage-research.com/blog/?p=1199

http://www.realtimerendering.com/blog/best-book-title-ever-period/

http://www.chrisrand.com/blog/index.php/2010/02/27/odd-tale-alphascript-publishing-betascript-publishing/

Let the buyer beware ...