Business Insider (BI) reports that the Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into Publishing.com, a company that sells courses on creating and selling AI-generated books as a side hustle.

For BI, Publishing.com collected nearly $50 million in 2022. In 62 complaints received by the outlet, customers typically spent $2,000, with some spending over $7,000 on additional courses and resources.

Consumers complained to the FTC that Publishing.com used high-pressure sales tactics and was not forthcoming about how much additional money customers would have to spend to publish, market and close sales. One complaint said, “They keep telling you to use credit cards, borrow money, go into debt to afford this program.”

Related: Amazon has a fake book problem

Founded in 2019 by twin brothers Christian and Rasmus Mikkelsen, Publishing.com has gone by other names, including Publishing Life and AI Publishing Academy.

On the company's current website, the main banner reads, “We help people with zero business or tech experience create and publish books that sell*.” The asterisk leads to a disclaimer buried deep on the home page, which reads in part, “Publishing.com guarantees no financial gain from the use of its products.”

Between the banner and the disclaimer, there are many vague customer testimonials that include statements such as: “These twins have really paved the way for anyone to publish and make dollars. Fake proof and a subject matter expert is with you on your first publishing journey from the beginning to the CHA Ching!!!!”

Vox has previously called out Publishing.com and its users for creating a wave of “trash books” clogging the e-book market, calling them “part AI, part get-rich-quick scheme and downright bad for confused consumers. “