How to avoid being scammed as a freelancer
Being a freelancer has a lot of advantages, some of them being flexible work hours, control of earnings and independence. However, the increased interest in freelance work has led to a heightened number of individuals who are taking advantage of job seekers by tricking them into giving out their information, giving away their money or working for free.
Working with established freelance platforms like UpWork, Fiverr, Freelance.com etc gives you more security as a freelancer, however some scammers have found loopholes to trick freelancers within these platforms because they have a considerable number of freelancers signed up with them.
Before accepting a freelance gig, a freelancer needs to carry out proper due diligence on the employer or company that is hiring them.
Scammers come up with new ways to trick freelancers all the time so we have compiled a list of some of the most common tricks that are being used by scammers currently.
Red Flags to look out for:
1.According to Freelancer.com, when a client requests to communicate with you on private platforms outside the freelance platforms where they found you,this should raise your guard to research more about this company. As a freelancer, always insist on communicating in the internal messaging systems of the freelance platforms that you use. However, there are Freelance directories whose purpose is to connect freelancers with clients, these are the exception when it comes to communicating outside the platform, for example Post and Work.
2. If an employer refuses to sign a contract or agreement, consider it a red flag. A contract which states the job description, work hours and remuneration should be signed before starting work.
3. When a client asks for any type of payment so as to guarantee a job position, or asks you to buy a tool or software from them so that you can be able to do the job. Never pay an employer to work.
4. A client that has negative reviews or no reviews at all should prompt a freelancer to research more about the company before deciding to work with them. A freelancer should check if the company has an online presence and a fully functional website. In the event that the company is still new and does not have a website yet, make sure that you sign a contract first before starting the job.
5. In their Freelance scams Blog, the Reedsy Blog states that when the work conditions and the pay rate seem too good to be true, freelancers should really be careful. Clients always look for the least expensive freelancers because their aim is to maximize profits, when you see a client offering you too much then it should raise your concerns. Always find out the average pay rate of the services you offer from the freelance platforms that you are registered on or from fellow freelancers.
6. Clients that ask you to send samples of your work that are more than the norm, then ask you to carry out tasks that are more time consuming than a regular test should be handled with suspicion. Freelancer urges freelancers to never give out too much of their work to a client.
7. If a client offers to pay you using uncommon forms of payment like gift cards and crypto-currencies, you are most likely trying to be scammed. The Reedsy Blog encourages freelancers to always know their worth and avoid such transactions.
Freelance platforms try to shield freelancers from being scammed however scammers always come up with different ways to trick job seekers. As a freelancer, try to build relationships with fellow freelancers because this will help you to know new scam tricks sooner. Your conscience is sometimes your greatest guide, if you feel that something is off about a client then it probably is.
Wishing all freelancers the very best in their job hunt, do check out the Post and Work platform and sign up to connect with potential employers.
