Poetry Scam Watch

I too was scammed by Circle of Poets. I had a poem accepted in 2004 and paid for the book, The Best of 2004, yet here it is 2006 and never received the book. They gave me excuses then runarounds, yet never delivered. Now, the email of; help@circleofpoets.com comes back "denied"... Also, it won't acknowledge my login....as though I've been "blackballed" on the site! Jannie

Received 4.11.06

This is the letter I sent to the Maryland Attorney General.

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am writing in regards to a purchase made by myself to League of American Poets (online). I submitted my check for 57.95 to the company in question for a book bearing an original poem written by myself. The check was cashed on October 4, 2005. I have only been able to actually talk to the company once and all voice mails I have left were unreturned. The one time I spoke with a person, she spoke very broken English but told me that she did not like me questioning her and that it would take longer for me to get my book because of this. I still have no book to show for my efforts. I do work for a publishing company (directories) and we must turn multi-volume books around in no more than 3 weeks. I realize this is not the case in all instances, but I would think that 5+ months would warrant the merchandise being delivered or at least a contact explaining when I might see it. I also contacted the Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland, Inc. They responded with a letter stating that after several attempts to contact League of American Poets, they were unable to obtain a response and the file will be closed to reflect this and that they have been given an ‘unsatisfactory’ performance record (#23044304).

Because I wrote this poem when my father died, I would really like the book. I am tired of the games and if this isn’t possible I want my money back.

R. Received 3/20/06The site www.lifeforchange.com has
turned out to be a fraudster. They were simply alluring
innocent young writers to contribute and canvas their
site for getting votes. As one such writer came near to
winning, citing some flimsy grounds they took him
out; planted their own stories. It is clear two of their
planted stories gathered as much as 28 votes each in
two days flat. Fraudsters gain, advertising revenue and
even the prize money. We are on the job to alert authorities. JG

Received 4/5/06

I saw a web site “League Of American Poets” and sent a poem I had written, into them for judging. I received a nice letter saying that it was a very good poem and offered a nice plaque for $50.00. I ordered it and months later still had not received it although my check had been cashed. I checked many web sites and saw that this particular group was known as a scam. Yesterday I received my plaque with my poem on it and I must say, done very professionally. It’s beautiful. I still can’t figure out why it took almost 9 months to receive it. Maybe someone “talked” to them. Anyway, I guess all is forgiven. The plaque was well worth the money.

Jim

Received 5/4/06

im not sure if this page was added to your poetry scam list but www.circleofpoets.com is one that scamed me i entered there poetry contest i wrote what i thought was a very good poem they said it was picked for publication but i had to buy the poetry manuscripts for 45.00 $ that my poem was published in i thought that was a rip off but i sent the 45.00 dollars anyway just to see my poem in the book they said at xmas the book will be sent an gave me notfication that they recieved my money well my book never came every time i emailed them i got a new date that the manuscript will be sent untill enventualy they changed there email address i tracked down the new one an they no longer respond from that one at all so not only was i ripped off my poem is most likly stolen an i didnt even get a book from them this happened 2 years ago an there page is out dated but they may have set up a new one an are running there scam again.Received 6/2/06Is the League of American Poets Legitimate?

I got taken at poetry.com & now am leery of all sites. Is
poetryamerica.com a scam? Thank you for your service to poetry-loverslbReceived 6/23/06

Yes, Poetry.com is definatly a scam. Being naive, I sent in a poem to their contest and was excited when they sent me a letter back saying it was in their semi-finals and that they wanted to publish it. The sad thing is, I didn't care that they wanted something like $50 for me to buy the book I had been published in. I was just happy to be published. But I was disappointed in the book, which was quite large with the poems in small print, packed together on each page. Then they sent me another letter a few weeks after that asking me to attend a convention in Orlando, FL with supposedly famous guests and hundreds of other "poets". But, I would've had to pay for my own travel expenses. They also told me that if I did win that contest at that particular convention, that I'd have to pay close to $40 for shipping and handling, for my own trophy! That was when it finally sunk in that this was a scam. Ah, but there's more. Another company supposedly based in London called Noble House Publishing sent me a letter also. They said they had heard of my recent publishing attempts in America, wanted to congratulate me and all that. They too wanted to publish one of my poems in a book. I did send in another poem to them, because they seemed legitimate. After I got the "artist's proof" back from them, it too had a form to fill out for the purposes of buying a book I was to be published in. Still being naive I bought it. Then about 6 months after that I read on the internet that this company is a scam too. So, watch out for Noble House Publishing too. Althought their books are a much better quality (one poem to a page, and a nice cover), they're disguised as a legitimate company until you find that they want money too. What I've discovered from former aquaintences is that it's best to send poems to contests sponsored by colleges, and hope that an agent will find your work and want to publish it as a serious and non-profit chap book or something along those lines.

Here is something else I forgot to mention. In the book I bought from Noble House, I found that some girl had plagiarized one of Jim Morrison's poems which had been published in a post-humous collection. This angered me, since I'm a fan of his music and poetry. I made a copy of the page from his book and a copy of the page from Noble House's book, and sent it along with a letter explaining my find to them. I never heard anything from them about it. They probably let that kind of stuff go on all the time.

Thank you for warning others of these scams, hopefully they won't have to learn the hard way like I and others have.

Steven E.

Received 7/2/06I was very dissapointed in finding out poetry.com could be a scam.I had written several poems and submitted then recieving information in the mail from them saying i had the chance to have it published for $50.00 when it should be the writer that recieves the 50.00.It has been a long life dream of mine to have my poems published and then porty.com crushed it.hopeing you can guide me in finding a publisher who is interested in my poems.Thank You .

J.L.K.W

Received 7/8/06hey, i am yet another ripped off client.
i had not idea that something like this would happen to me already. the first poem i sent into poetry.com got "published" in there book. i paid the fifty dollars they were asking. i am sooo dissapointed in myself for believing that something like this could actually happen to me, like they say, if something seems to good to be true, it probally is. i also recieved the editor's chice award, like so many others. and i used this acheivment to help myself get into the national junior honor society at school.i was so proud that my poem was published. but i guess i will find my way somehow. i also looked at another scam website involving the international society of poets, and discovered that a letter written by them was almost exactly like the one written to me telling me how i should write a new poem and record it, and pay 169 plus 18 dollars for shipping of everything that i was to recieve. i can't believe the isp lets dreamers like me be let down because all the nice things that they say is nothing more that bullshit.

tessReceived 7/23/06

Hello everyone, Writing about poetry.com. I had no clue they were scaming me really thought nothing about the money they wanted. (I never sent them any). Then I found this site and starting reading everyones letters. I couldn't find an email address for poetry.com. Does anyone know it or do they even have one? I've tried calling them but no answer. I want my poems taken off their site Brenda

Received 8/14/06

Well I too sent a poem to poetry.com and yes they said that i was a semi-finalist and so on. I paid for almost half of the book and after that i didn't send them anymore money. Not because I didn't want to but because i couldn't afford it luckily. Or else i would have been drawn in closely to the scam. Well i was really glad they had considered to publish my poem. I thought they actually read it and evaluated and thought it to be superior tham others. Well later I found out they published everybody's poem. I read through some poems and they arent all that great but ohters were really good. I guess that if there is an upside to this poetry scam it is that other people get to enjoy your poetry. But if i were you i'd be careful and not send them any money. I guess then this way you could profit instead of them. I guess? Oh yes and throough out this whole time they never questioned my age which could of been under 18. I could have even been a 9 year old.

- Rosa

Received 9/8/2006

My daughter also wrote a poem, and I thought it was very good, but I did have a feeling that it was a scam also. I had to let her down, because she was so excited that she had “won”. I was waiting for the second letter to see if they asked for money, (as they did, and then got on the web) and found your site. Thanks for putting this out. This is so obviously a scam, why is Our GOVERNMENT letting this happen? Tara Received 9/9/2006 Sept. 10,2006. I had sent in a poem a few years ago to Poetry.com, and Ireceived a letter about how good it was. I would have bought the book, but other things happen the time to make me forget. This year I sent in another poem, it also came back saying it was good. I was as happy as the first time. So I bought the book. How happy I was to see my poem on the first page. I was so excited, I went to look it up on the internet, and found it said someone else's poem was on the first page. I looked through my whole book and found their poem not in my book. I have even tried to find the book on internet. I have not found it as of yet. I am getting frustrated trying to find anything about my book or if I can find in any store. I am not sure but if anyone knows, but do they publish more than one book, with the same title. It is sad to think that it is nothing more than money maker for
poetry.com.

Mel
Received 9/28/06 So, I take it that the League of American Poets is a scam? I too received a letter in the mail. I probably should have tried to verify the authenticity of the letter before shooting off my bigmouth. Stan
Received 10/12/2006

I think you should check out the "league of American Poets" I submitted a poem and paid about $50 for a copy of "A Treasury of American Poetry II". It has 250 pages with three columns per page, and over 1200 contributors.In my humble opinion, my poem is the only good one in the book. It is not that mine is so great, but that the vast majority of the others are really, really bad. I wouldn't mind paying that much for a copy if my poem was on its own page and if the other poems were in some way enjoyable to read. Thanks for your website, it is very enlightening.

Harold

Received 10/15/2006

I'm hearing so many negative things about poetry.com.  This is a site for amatuer writers.  How many times have you got a rejection slip for things
you sent to magazines and books that you knew where just as good or better than a known writers.  There are things I'd ask like where are these books
that they sell the authors that are suppose to be in stores months after the you bought from them.  Let me tell you many many years ago...I sent in
stories to a comic book company.  We are looking for talent.  Tryout.  (hint) Send us your inkings, drawings pencilers,  I was young and never
heard of copy righting so I sent in about five stories...what happened...a few changes to it... and it was published...they made millions on story.  No
way I could prove it..since it wasn't copyrighted..the only proof...two owner's of a comic book store read the story and laughed when I changed a
character's costume.  It will never happen they told me his costumes a trade mark.  Now that company got rich and i'm leaving with my mother.  This
caused me to stop writing which I loved to do for a very long time...Yes I marvel at my stupidity..(another hint)
anyways back to poetry.com  after seeing it on the web it has started me writing again mostly for my own enjoyment so...A scam...doubtful...It needs improvements...like not randomly choosing winners for their contests.  The
event this year was held in vegas at the mgm that's not
cheap...entertainment was tony orlando and ruben studer.  I didn't go because I can't afford it..Poetry.com should also help getting your work sold.  At least you get the copyrights to your own work..I have searched
other poetry sites which doesn't state who gets the copyrights after you send it in.  Also how many times have you sent something in...rejected and
months later a similar thing is written by someelse about the same thing...hhmmm..I wonder where they got the idea for that story..Poetry.com a scam...don't know...Pricey...Yes....but I rather spend alittle money
onseeing my stuff in print and owning the copyrights then seeing a company make millions on my writings while I get nothing.  Would I be willing to take a lie detector test..YOU BET!

Philip

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