Summary

The article provides guidance to freelancers on avoiding scams by trusting their instincts, preparing contracts, securing payments, and utilizing freelance platforms like Upwork and Fiverr.

Abstract

The article "How Not to Get Scammed as a Freelancer" emphasizes the importance of vigilance and preparation to avoid being taken advantage of in the freelance industry. It suggests that freelancers should always be cautious and not fall for deals that seem too good to be true. The author recounts a personal experience where they were approached by someone claiming to be a website founder interested in their writing services, which turned out to be a potential scam. The article advises freelancers to create a detailed contract that outlines their duties, payment terms, and legal jurisdiction, and to consult a lawyer for assistance with contract creation, especially for international work. It also recommends that freelancers secure upfront payments or use a third-party platform like Fiverr to ensure they receive compensation for their work. The author concludes by urging freelancers to trust their instincts and gather as much information as possible before committing to a project.

Opinions

The author believes that if an offer sounds too good to be true, it likely is not genuine.
They advocate for the use of contracts to protect freelancers' interests, including specifying the number of articles, payment terms, and legal framework.
The author suggests that new freelancers use platforms like Fiverr or Upwork to mitigate the risk of scams, as these platforms offer some level of protection and support.
It is the author's opinion that getting paid, at least partially, upfront is a prudent approach to prevent being scammed.
The author emphasizes the importance of trusting one's instincts when dealing with potential clients and projects.
They recommend that freelancers should be prepared to walk away from a project if something feels off, valuing the protection of their work over the potential loss of a job.

How Not to Get Scammed as a Freelancer

Scammers are tricky and smart; sometimes, it is hard to uncover who is trying to cheat and steal your work. So how do you avoid getting scammed as a freelancer?

Do I smell scam?

First of all, trust your instinct! If it sounds too good to be true, probably it isn’t!

Let me tell you what happened to me a few days ago. Recently, I’ve started promoting my blog and Medium profile on Twitter. A website profile sent me a message saying he wants to “talk to me about something really important.”

At first, I thought he wanted money. He didn’t introduce himself right away, so I replied, “Hi whoever you are.” He answers back, saying he was the founder of a website and wanted me to write for him. Ok, I started asking him a few questions about topics, number of words, etc. He sent me his news website, told me to pick a subject. No info about the number of pieces he needed nor payments.

After years of writing for content marketplaces where they handle the contract matters, how could I protect myself from a possible scam?

I decided to use my new Fiverr profile! I created an offer based on the type of content I thought he might need and sent over. Everything I’ve told you so far happened on Tuesday. On Wednesday evening, I text him to know if he was still interested, the answer? Well, there was no answer!

Maybe it wasn’t a scam; perhaps he was just looking for cheap content, I suppose I will never know!

Prepare a contract

If the person or company who wants to hire you as a freelancer doesn’t provide a contract that establishes your duties, payments, and terms, then you need to make one on your own!

I’m not a lawyer; therefore, I can’t advise you about what to write on your contract but protect yourself from legal causes and specify under which country rules follow your agreement.

Find yourself a lawyer who knows how to write a contract for your specific niche and knows internationals law, if applicable.

Payments

Payments should be specified in your contract, but make sure to get all the money before giving your work away. Or at least get a percentage of the total amount upfront.

If you meet your client in person, you can ask for a cashier’s check. Bank transfer can be canceled as third parties platforms such as PayPal are most of the time on the customer side; that’s why you need a good contract and a way to prove you were right and did everything accordingly to the initial agreement.

Freelancer, Upwork and Fiverr

If you are a newbie and don’t want to hire a lawyer to write your contract, you can apply for one of these three platforms for freelancers.

Just to be clear, it doesn’t mean you won’t get scammed using them. Scammers are everywhere, but at least you can ask their support team for help. I used Fiverr to propose my offer to a possible scammer to see if he was serious about hiring me. The fact that he didn’t reply makes me think he was looking for free content.

Personal considerations

I believe it is hard, sometimes, to tell if someone is trying to play you and get away with your work. Be smart, ask for as many details as possible about the job, and if your sixth sense tells you to run away, do it! Better lose a job than waste your time and let a scammy stranger enjoy your hard work for free!