03 8567 8615 - 0385678615: Too Good to Be True Book Deal Scam

• Scam

03 8567 8615 (0385678615): Contributors report fake HBO book deal offers worth $500K. Callers claim interest in non-existent manuscripts with unrealistic payment promises.

Too Good to Be True Book Deal Scam Reports for 03 8567 8615

Three contributors have reported calls from 03 8567 8615 (also written as 0385678615) involving an obvious impersonation scam centred on fake book publishing deals. The pattern is consistent across reports: callers claiming to represent HBO contact recipients about purchasing non-existent books, dangling offers of $500,000 for manuscripts that don't exist.

This Telstra-provided number operating in Victoria appears designed to exploit people by creating a sense of unexpected financial opportunity. All reports flagging 0385678615 describe the same suspicious approach, suggesting a coordinated campaign rather than isolated wrong numbers.

What Callers from 03 8567 8615 Claim

One contributor answered a direct call from 03 8567 8615 where the caller claimed to represent HBO and offered $500,000 for a book the contributor has never written. Two additional reports about this number describe voicemail messages left by the caller making identical claims about purchasing movie rights to non-existent books for substantial sums.

The pitch relies entirely on the recipient's curiosity and desire for unexpected financial gain. Contributors note the offer lacks any legitimate detail: no mention of actual manuscript submission, no request for samples, no standard publishing industry due diligence. Instead, the caller simply asserts that HBO wants to buy rights to a book that doesn't exist, implying the recipient should engage further.

Report Patterns and Timing

Reports about 03 8567 8615 were submitted across February 2026, with the most recent call answered directly and earlier reports capturing voicemail messages. The voicemail approach suggests the caller may be using automated or semi-automated dialling to reach multiple targets, leaving messages when recipients don't answer rather than following up with immediate callbacks.

One contributor described receiving a voicemail explicitly stating the caller wants to buy the recipient's non-existent book for movie rights at $500,000. The consistency of this messaging across different contributors indicates the scammer is using a standardised script, likely calling from 0385678615 repeatedly to different numbers in hope of finding someone who engages with the too-good-to-be-true offer.

What to Do If You Receive a Call from 03 8567 8615

If 03 8567 8615 calls you:

• Do not: Engage with the offer, provide any personal details, or return the call if it goes to voicemail
• Do not: Agree to any next steps or provide banking information if the caller requests payment for processing or publishing fees
• Do: Hang up immediately and block the number in your phone
• Do: Recognise that legitimate publishers and studios do not operate this way - they work through agents or established submission channels, never cold call with unsolicited offers
• Do: Report the call to ACMA and Scamwatch to help identify this scam operation

What to Do If You Receive a Voicemail from 03 8567 8615

If 0385678615 leaves a voicemail:

• Do not: Call back the number or follow any instructions in the message
• Do not: click any links if the message includes a URL (unlikely in this case, but possible with scam evolution)
• Do: Delete the message immediately
• Do: Block 03 8567 8615 at the carrier level - contact Telstra to report the number as fraudulent
• Do: Mark as spam in your voicemail system if available

How to Report 03 8567 8615

Contributors who receive calls from this number should report to:

• Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) - the Australian government's official scam reporting service. Describe the HBO book offer and any details the caller provided
• ACMA (acma.gov.au) - the Australian Communications and Media Authority, which investigates phone-based fraud and can take action against the provider
• Reverseau - contribute your experience with 03 8567 8615 to help other Australians identify this scam. Your report helps build the community intelligence profile

If you believe you've already shared banking details or personal information with this caller, contact your bank immediately and consider reporting to ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au) if money was transferred.

Frequently Asked Questions