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How Not To Be A Victim Of Online Freelancing Scams
June 2nd, 2008 | Posted in Freelancing.
While many people are jumping into the freelancing bandwagon, many people, too, are falling prey to various online scams. The alarming part is that even veteran freelancers are being victimized by online scams, and not just neophyte freelancers. So be wary of these freelance online jobs! Here are some very practical tips to prevent you from falling prey to these scams.
Don’t Give Your Work Away
First, do not give your work samples to people you don’t know. Most of the freelance scam artists ask for work samples from those applying for freelance jobs. These work samples, mind you, are not paid. So the poor freelancer would realize that the scam artist does not have any plans at all of paying for his or her work. In turn the scam artist would post the said work, say a write-up, on his or her website, and even sell them illegally. The poor freelancer would then be left out without having been credited for his or her work.
If you really need to provide sample works to a prospective client, just give them a URL to something you have done, like a previously published article on a client’s website. By doing so the person requesting the sample work would less likely steal your work since he or she knows that your article has been published elsewhere.
Don’t Let Them Steal Your Identity
Second, never give too much information about you. Most scam artists would ask for your security number, bank account information, and other similar information. They will usually reason out that they need the said info for your payment particulars, or to conduct a background check. Don’t fall for this trap. In the first place they should never ask for your social security number since they are not your employer. Only your employer should have access to this information. Likewise if they are to pay you through banks, insist that you prefer to be paid through PayPal which is a very popular payment option for many freelancers.
Plan Ahead
Make sure too, that you have everything in writing. Demand a contract. If your client refuses, you can at least use your own letter of agreement. This is a good protection for you especially if the person you are dealing with is planning to pull off an anomalous act on you. You’d basically tell whether a person you are dealing with is legit or not if they have troubles exercising a simple contract with you.
Related posts:
- An Introduction to Freelancing
- Women and Freelancing: A Match Made in Heaven
- Making Freelance Work For You
- The Benefits of Freelance Bookkeeping
- The Intricate Details of Freelance Work
Scam
June 28th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
I’ve never heard of freelance scams before so that earned you a stumble.
Allan / Moon Gap
June 29th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Thanks.