There are several reasons why freelancers get scammed over the internet. Because freelancing spans across a broad range of sectors, scammers are consistently on the lookout. Their major aim is to take advantage of eager folks who look to earn money from their comfort.
One of the most common reasons for getting scammed is the constant need for work. As a freelancer, while trying to fight your way out of poverty, it’s easy to become rash about the types of jobs you accept. When provided with possibilities to advance, freelancers become easy targets for scammers who have enticing offers all the time.
Another reason is going for a job that is too good to be true. This might not be the ideal option, as that job you are skeptical about might be genuinely too good to be true.
As a freelancer, you must be able to detect the red flags and early warning indications. Below are 5 best ways to spot scam jobs in your freelance journey:
When a Client Demands Payment Before Hiring
An employer that demands payment before hiring is a red flag. Such scams frequently promise you either a lot of work in exchange for a small fee or a lot of money if you resell the company’s product after you buy it. In most circumstances, there is no guarantee or legally binding agreement.
All transactions for a project should be completed on the freelancer platform. Never agree to send money to a client via any platform that is different from the freelancing platform. In most cases, this implies that they’re attempting to pay with a stolen credit card, which the anti-fraud experts won’t be able to detect, putting you at so much risk.
When a Client Requests to Communicate Outside Official Channels
The top freelance platforms all have an integrated communication system that allows the platform’s owners to monitor the system while also providing freelancers with privacy protections. This allows you to discuss business without providing personal information unless you need to do so for the job.
Freelance platforms also make it simple to file abuse and fraud complaints against customers. This is why some clients may try to avoid using the official, integrated channels for communication. If there is no paper trail to follow on the freelancing platform’s chat system, the freelance platform may not be compelled to help you recover from the fraud’s harmful effects. Once the scam is over, the account disappears, and the freelancer is left stranded.
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When a Client Has Received Diverse Negative Reviews from Other Freelancers
It’s critical to take a step back after being offered a position and examine the employer’s feedback from other freelancers. Employers get reviews from freelancers who are public and can be seen by anyone. It is good to go over these reviews to see if there are any negative feedbacks or comments about the client. Any client who has more than one negative feedback or no feedback at all is a red flag.
If an employer is new, that’s a good reason for no reviews, and it’s totally okay. However, if the employer appears legitimate but has no reviews, something isn’t quite right. Avoid clients that have received unfavorable feedback, and don’t be scared to ask as many questions as you need.
When an offer sounds too good to be true
The biggest red flag is when a job sounds too good to be true. If the company, for example, the employer offers high pay for an easy task. Why would a company pay a high rate for simple work which they can get anywhere at an affordable rate? They’re attempting to make you feel exceptional and ecstatic about discovering such an opportunity. If you dig deeper into the employer profiles, you’ll almost certainly find more red flags.
If a job appears to be too good to be true, your instincts are typically correct. Freelancing requires a lot of effort, so if a possible client is willing to pay you a lot more money than usual for a simple project, you should investigate them more.
When Employer Requests for Free Tests
Something is clearly incorrect if your client requests more than one or two samples of your work. This is a common scam that many freelancers fall for, and it’s pretty easy to fall for such. While it’s crucial to demonstrate your abilities to a potential client, don’t give away too many free samples. Negotiate a price if you must give out a lot of free samples.
After submitting a proposal and the client expresses interest in working with you, beware of being asked to do a ‘test project.’ After submission of the test project, you will most likely never hear from them again.
Lastly, don’t forget that you can get reliable clients to work with as a freelancer without the risk of being scammed or defrauded. After signing up on Kominiti you can begin to find projects and start bidding with the clients immediately through the Marketplace and Hot deal features.
To get started, go to www.kominiti.com `
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