scams

Recently I entered a poem I wrote into a few contest hoping I could win some money. I was wary of course, and entered very leery of being asked for money in any form or fashion because I knew at any moment someone could be waiting to scam me. After a while, I discovered a webpage that lists some of the most prevalent poetry writing scams on the internet and I wanted to share them because I know some of you have entered them too. Some of them I knew immediately were scams, and some I had unwittingly entered myself. I am just glad no one managed to dupe me for a dollar.

And here are our scammers, ladies and gentlemen:

Poetry.com
FamousPoets.com
aftrk.com/e/Poetry
International Society Of Poets
International Library Of Poetry
National Library Of Poetry
The Poetry Guild
National Society Of Poets
www.poetry-contest.com
Iliad Press (Cader Publishing)
The American Poets Society www.poetryamerica.com
Noble House Publishers
https://www.noblehousepublishers.co.uk
Publishers Clearing House
Water Mark Press
The Poem Place
Hollywood's Famous Poets Society
Pen Pushers Publications
Poets' Guild

If you have entered any of these online contests and are asked for money to purchase a book or for any reason, DO NOT PAY. The letter you got saying "you are a semifinalist" might have felt good at the time, but a monkey naming himself "Hugh G. Reckshun" and titling his poem "Mike Ockenballz" would get the same letter. They tell everyone who enters that they are a winner...and then put their palms out. But don't be fooled.