Avoid Scams as an Online Writer (or Freelancer) — You Must Know This!
If you are a freelancer, blogger, or advertiser, you should read this article. Especially beginners shouldn’t skip this article because they are gonna experience these things in the future.
As scams can happen in your business or workplace — they can happen in the online world as well. In fact, the scam rate is higher in online work than in the workplace.
If you are a freelancer, blogger, or advertiser, you should read this article. Especially beginners shouldn’t skip this article because they are gonna experience these things in the future.
You need to know certain things to avoid scams if you are a freelancer, wanna be a freelancer, or looking for a job outside the freelance sites, or whatever online work you are gonna do or have a plan for.
Let’s get into it.
1. Free Samples
Sometimes people on freelance sites and people from other sources might engage with you for hiring. The first thing they will ask you for is samples.
It’s authentic to ask for samples because a legit person needs to know about your expertise especially when you don’t have a portfolio. But sometimes people ask for samples because they wanna free work done.
They will ask you to write an article on a specific topic or will ask you to perform particular tasks. When you will do so they will run away or will reject your sample even if they like it.
On the other hand, it’s also a fact that nobody will hire you without testing your expertise. So what you can do? Here is the solution! before jumping into freelancing — prepare yourself to compete on the site and avoid scams.
Build your portfolio. Now you might think a portfolio means, past experience, feedback and a website. It’s not necessary. A portfolio means your expertise. If you are good at your skill, you just need to show its potential. How to show your skill set? Build a free portfolio on Medium Or vocal media.
Write articles based on the niche and publish them on these two sites. When someone asks you to show your samples or portfolio so that they see whether you are eligible or not. You can share your article links with them. They cannot steal it or scam you.
Build your skills and get enough knowledge about your genre so that during the interview process your answers win the game. Interviewers do not always rely on samples, they judge while talking to you whether you meet their requirements or not. So, be equipped with enough knowledge and expertise to impress clients.
If someone asks you to provide samples on the topic that they will give you. You can do it if you are a beginner and don’t have a portfolio. But remember never provide the full article. Write a 200 to 300-word article to just let them know about your writing style.
2. Moving Outside the Freelance Site
If you applied for a job on a freelance site and a person asks you to move outside the platform because his/her manager will tell you further about the details, it’s 99% a scam.
I never moved outside. On Guru and Freelancer, the majority of people will ask you to come on telegram or Google Meet. If you move outside they can trap you or ask you to spend money. However, project discussion on Google Meet and Zoom is fine and it’s professional. But you must be wise enough to smell that is it really a project discussion or a trap.
A person who really wants to hire you will never insist you move outside because he/she might also be afraid of scams and would prefer to work professionally in a safe place. They also know that hiring on the platform is safe because the platform itself takes care of both parties.
3. Investment
If someone on a freelance site and social media or anywhere on the internet comes to you and offers you a job…Or if you engage with some job posts… If they ask you to invest something or do a paid registration or buy a company card, whatever kind of investment they ask you to do, don’t proceed with them, they are 100% scams.
Nowadays in the name of digital marketing and other kinds of marketing many people are trapping by saying, it’s business and you have to invest a small income to get more. They manipulate you in different ways like it’s a registration fee, it’s investment, enrolment, or whatever. Don’t proceed with them.
4. Links and Personal Information.
If someone provides you with a link that requires your personal data like pictures or bank details don’t fill it up. Don’t even click on every link. They will hack you or steal your sensitive data. They might steal your money from the bank or they can blackmail you as well.
Bottom Line
This is a digital era and people are moving from physical to online businesses and work. To be an influencer and freelancer is everyone’s main choice nowadays. With the increasing popularity of online work, the scam ratio also increases.
Especially scammers target beginners and people who are badly in need of money. Scammers are everywhere on the internet. You should be aware of how to survive in the online world to avoid scams.
I hope this post gives you good knowledge and will protect you from scammers in your journey.
© Mahnoor Chaudhry 🌷