Note that I am copying my personal review from TrustPilot for this same company for sitejabber.com as I do not feel like re-typing all of this! Note also "Verified" reviewers just means they add a photo. I'm not adding my photo so I won't appear as "Verified." People get paid to write fake reviews so don't believe them all, even if they have the green checkmark! Both are legit, real reviews by ME as I was planning on using GBP until my bank flagged them as scam, and called me when I was going to wire them money for a marketing campaign! (I cancelled the transaction.) That was over a week ago; they still refuse to answer my questions regarding their 'legit' business. They are now linked to "MerriamPublishers.com" as yesterday (11/19/2024) Merriam called me since I won't move forward with GBP until they answer my questions! Same CA area code except Merriam is in VA! Beware! Also see scam-detector.com.
-no CEO/owners listed or given anywhere
-physical addresses in both Dallas, TX and Los Angeles, CA are CONFIRMED FAKE. They have never been there, and are NOT there. I personally spoke with neighboring businesses AND Property Managers. Global is not, and has never been, there!
1001 Wilshire Blvd is only a mailing service.
******* Monroe Dr, #303, in Dallas, TX has never heard of them.
And I was emailed BY Global that the Dallas location is their "Head Office" & to go in person to see they are legit. They didn't think I actually would since I'm in another state. Surprise. I have photos.
-cell numbers can't be verified as legit for a business
-my own bank warned me they were "suspicious" and "looks like a scam."
-stole at least 1 author's work and put on their own websites (plural!) as ones *they* published, if not even wrote as a ghostwriter (implied). Author has never heard of them, or ever used them. I know this is fact as I'm the one who contacted her about her book.
-multiple sites; 2 are clones!
-BEWARE of similar sites (2 are clones of each other):
globalbookpublishers.com/ oceanbookpublishing.com (clone)/ globalbookspublisher.com/ timesquarepublishers.com (clone)/ globalbookpublishing.com/ globalbookpublishers.org./ Beware of MerriamPublishers.com as well.
(FYI, scammers tend to change a single letter or punctuation to make new sites or business names.) If you're not sure if they're legit, move on.
- all websites are 2024, except 2 (2022, 2023)
-Global says they're "legitimate, established for over 9 years," but their websites are 2024, and their bank account for wire transfers is less than 1 month old (I called to verify.)
-when I emailed them these issues, and more, to equal 13 major concerns/ issues, they literally replied with this: "Let's set aside everything that's happened up to this point and focus on moving forward." Dated Nov. 14,2024. They refuse to answer a single one as of Nov. 20,2024.
-multiple business names to know include: Global Book Publishers, Design Logic Shop, Design N Writing Venturz INC. Let's add MerriamPublishers.com this list now!
-reports are filed with the FTC, and AG
-bank and credit card company are notified and investigating
-Have spoken on phone with a few authors they *did* publish and got these complaints (of which I'm experiencing myself for past 2 months): lag time, pushy, try to upsell you on marketing packages, still have typos, had to hire their own proofreaders anyway, have to guide them, don't trust, you get what you pay for, and will never use them again. I concur. For their privacy, I won't name the authors, which I realize may make my review suspicious to you, but I don't have their permission (because I haven't asked. They can do their own reviews if they ever want to!)
-told "no more than 5 weeks from getting manuscript to publishing." It's going on 11 weeks and still not done. They have their reasons why, of course.
- Look for a reputable business, do deep research, call other authors, their banks, addresses/ neighboring businesses to verify as legit! Ask those business owners to send you photos and video so you know for sure if you can't go in person yourself.
It's very hard to know for sure anymore, so I hope this will help someone who is trying to do their own due diligence! I thought I did my own before; sometimes you just don't know until things begin popping up! Keep everything in writing for documentation!