As they say, it's a jungle out there. Most of us aren't fully experienced in all the aspects of the literary industry. Many have looked for marketing help or editors or even designers. Be careful out there.
Ebooks and the explosion of the industry have made locating real people even more difficult than before. The first rule is take your time. If anyone tries to pressure you into a decison, run away and run away quickly.
Services do cost money. Artists deserve to be paid. But this is as personal as choosing a home or a car. In fact, it's more personal. Your words are your life. Some say they are almost your children.
Would you hire someone to work for your company without checking references? The same is true for editors or cover designers or other service providers. If they won't let you talk to others who have used their services, don't choose them. There is usally a reason why they won't.
A good asset is Predators and Editors (http://www.pred-ed.com/ ). The colllate materials from all over the world. It's a good first step. Google is also your friend. I've found data about many shady people there.
Listen, there are great people who help authors every day. Do your homework. Talk to other authors. Never be afraid to ask.
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