It’s not very often that George R.R. Martin takes to Twitter, or really to any social media platform for that matter these days. While Martin once was relatively active on social media, these days he tends to keep a lower profile, using his blog to bring fans updates and thoughts rather than hopping on any of the mainstream social media accounts. So when Martin takes to social media, it’s a rare occasion that quickly catches the attention of Game of Thrones fans.
Following a nearly two-year hiatus from Twitter, Martin returned to the social media platform on March 11, not to provide an update on a project in development, but to issue an urgent warning to readers about a concerning trend in the publishing world: author impersonation.
"ATTENTION: Recently we've been made aware of scammers who are impersonating well-known writers online,” Martin wrote in his first tweet since 2024.
While Martin did not directly point to an instance in which his likeness has been used to scam fans, he used his platform to share an official statement from his publisher, Penguin Random House, addressing the issue.
“Scammers are using established writers' names and making false claims that they’re interested in mentoring or giving advice to other writers. Please be cautious. Often, the goal of these scams is to steal money, intellectual property such as a manuscript, and/or valuable personal information. If you’ve received a suspicious communication, please report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.”
The tweet concluded by directing users to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center as a source to report any suspicious communication Martin’s followers may have received. Martin also shared resources for combating fraud from Penguin Random House.
ATTENTION: Recently We’ve been made aware of scammers who are impersonating well known writers online. Here’s a statement issued by Penguin Random House explaining the situation:
— George RR Martin (@GRRMspeaking) March 11, 2026
Scammers are using established writer’s names and making false claims that they’re interested in…
Sadly, the impersonation of public figures to scam fans on social media has become a growing problem. There have been many reports of fans being swindled out of thousands of dollars by scammers pretending to be public figures, so it’s of little surprise to know that this has reached the world of publishing, with scammers now impersonating popular authors such as Martin.
It’s not at all surprising that Martin released a statement to warn his fans about the scammers impersonating authors, though his return to Twitter did give some fans false hope that he had ended his hiatus from the platform to bring them an update on The Winds of Winter.
“This is your first post since August 2024, and I thought this was the announcement for The Winds of Winter,” replied one disappointed fan in a tweet that has been liked by hundreds of fellow fans who assumed the same.
Of course, some fans couldn’t help but use the opportunity to troll Martin slightly.
“I almost fell for it too, until he told me he completed Winds of Winter. ‘That’s not the George I know,’ I said,” joked one fan.
While fans turned Martin’s Twitter return into a Winds of Winter roast opportunity, his comments carry weight and serve as an important reminder of the need to be vigilant on social media. With AI technology, it’s easier than ever for scammers to impersonate figures such as Martin, and it’s commendable that Martin used his platform to help amplify Penguin Random House’s message and provide resources for those who have been impacted by author impersonation scams and how to combat fraud.