Looks like it was written with ChatGPT. Lists Rick Steves as co-author.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0D9XN6H3H
Says it's "#1 in (new) Venice travel guides" so scammer will probably clean up like a bandit by the time Amazon shuts it down (if they do at all).
I sent a note to the webmaster to make sure the RS staff is alerted to this.
@CJean....Andrew, the webmaster, is going to have a full InBox, lol....I did as well!
I received this book as a "Recent release from an author you follow, Rick Steves" in my email from amazon.
And I have (attempted, since i did not buy it) to put a review on Amazon stating the same. Note that it is 20% the size of the real book, 117 vs 503 pages.
It is now showing as out of stock so probably shut down already. It looks like it is a publish-on-demand item as it is independently published.
Hey folks,
Thank you all for caring and for your messages. It is indeed a fake. If you're so inclined, feel free to use the "Report an issue with this product" link on that page. I'll be doing the same.
This one seems to have the same format, fonts, etc.
I am guessing the attorney RS has on retainer knows how to contact Amazon.
Be interesting to see how long Toto's link works.
UPDATE: Book is still listed but purchase options appear to have been removed "This edition of this title is not available for purchase in your country. "
"Out of Print" for Kindle lol
There are so many AI travel (and I'm sure other) books on Amazon, enabled by ChatGPT/similar plus Amazon's print-on-demand service. It's really quite effortless to cook up, list, and collect checks for this kind of stuff before Amazon does anything about it. These "authors" have no shame.
Toto, thanks for highlighting this!
note that Amazon has a direct link under the product description for "report an issue with this product or seller." Suggest we pile it on the Big River.
Well, Amazon published my 1* review! I didn’t think it would be published so I didn’t put much thought into it.
Pam, that is interesting that they took the review even though you did not buy the product. Gives me a whole lot less confidence in Amazon reviews!!!
One bogus review is nothing. Awhile ago I noted an onslaught of travel books by a "Stuart Hartley" who could pretty much tell you about anywhere you want to go but the sample pages had that same look and low-detail readability. The reason I say chief offender: Each listing had 400-500 (not exaggerating) vague but glowing Amazon reviews, each reading like the were written in the same ChatGPT'ish style. How did someone create that many fake accounts and get as many reviews published so quickly was beyond me (the books had only been out a month or so at the time). I looked his name up this evening an there are only two or so of these titles now (no reviews through) on Amazon.
Gives me a whole lot less confidence in Amazon reviews!!!
Amazon is notoriously riddled with fake reviews.
So is this going to be someone’s “Europe through the Trap Door” series? Thanks for the alert, Toto, and the others who are on to the scheme!
Anyone can review anything on Amazon. However, if the reviewer actually purchased the item, the review will say "Verified Purchaser."
“Europe through the Trap Door” series?
LOL, good one, Cyn. :O)
I just checked and the link goes nowhere now so Amazon must have removed it.
Well spied, Toto!
Mary, I got the same email and wondered about it. Once I had my coffee, I was going to check but you all beat me to it, lol!
I did check out the "author" and he has quite a few new books out there. He must be a very prolific AI generator; I mean "writer".
Well you get to see a cute dog if you try the link now.
Amazon allows their Seattle employees to bring their dogs to work—- at least they did when people were going to the office to work. They have a nice little dog park for them downtown near the Amazon Spheres, which are fun to visit if you are in town.
https://www.seattlespheres.com/the-spheres-weekend-public-visits
The dog that showed up on the link OP provided is named " Miss Chief "
Someone at amazon has a sense of humor.
Edit-- Too bad it changes--- I thought it was a a clever bit of word play.
A different dog shows up every time you click.
I have gotten “Sheriff”, a flat-coated retriever, twice in a row.
