SIBA's sister organization, MPIBA, has shared information that one of their stores has been contacted by a fake organization called “Equity-Now.Org” that is posing as an anti-racist progressive organization and asking indie bookstore owners and booksellers to participate in a documentary.

The scenario closely resembles a similar one targeting transgender people which turned out to have murky ties to the news program The Daily Wire, and appeared to be disingenuous about what the footage would be used for.

Booksellers are in the information business, and already know how insidious and damaging disinformation can be. Be cautious about such requests, especially when they come out of the blue and without references or recommendations from people or groups you already know and trust.

If you haven't done so in awhile, it is a good time to revisit your store's media policy. Go over your procedures for vetting media inquiries, and the language you use to discuss potentially controversial subjects. Train your staff on what to do if approached by the media (or someone claiming to be legitimate media).

PEN America has a media toolkit which is useful not only for vetting what press you are reading, but also any press that seeks to interact with you.  

ABFE has a number of useful resources if you do find yourself in the middle of a controversy. Check, especially, their "Tips for Handling Trolls on Social Media" handout.

The FTC also has some useful information on how to distinguish scams and scammers. Although traditionally scammers have targeted businesses in the hopes of leaching money, the tactics are similar for those who have political agendas. They pretend to be trustworthy. They create a sense of urgency to encourage hasty decision making, and they use intimidation and fear.

The key take away is not to take anything for granted: verify and fact check the people who approach you, as well as the stories they give you.  Your best defense is to be vigilant, and report suspected scams to the ABA or SIBA.