As the world progresses, the scammers become better and best at what they do. Even freelancer sites are not prone to scammers. Freelancing sites are websites that create a meeting platform between freelance job seekers and employers and this could create a perfect platform to get scammed since you never meter the freelancer or employer not physically. Ever been scammed, or worry that the scammer might make you their next victim? This guide will show you how to spot a scammer on Freelancer sites.
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Do a Background Check on Freelance Website
First of all, when using freelancing websites, you ought to be careful, you cannot simply create an account and start engaging in work before you search about the website. Look up the website and pay attention to its reviews and what other people think of the site because some of these sites are a scam themselves. You will have sites promising you to work for months with no opportunity to show up while others will have you offering your services and failing to pay.
Some websites may upright refuse to pay you, others will keep you on promises of having your money wired soon enough. It is always advisable to first lookup the website before signing up, here you can learn if it is legit if it has opportunities for freelancers, and if it pays for example some websites can come off as legit, organized, and very legit until you look them up and discover they take ages without paying or never pay at all.
If the website has a skeleton in the closet somewhere, you will always find reviews to guide you and point out those flaws. I for one have found Quora very useful when looking up these websites, there you are able to access reviews and thoughts of very many people including those that have accessed and used the website. With people’s reviews and remarks, you can be able to determine whether the website is a scam, has scammers, or is legit. Click here to see freelance scam websites.
Pay Check too Good to Be Real
We all love quick money and mouth-watering promises however, Freelancer websites offering you very high pay for an easy job should rub off wrong. First of all, who is willing to give big sums of money for a very easy job they could do themselves, it might really exist but I highly doubt it or the client could be trying to steal your information.
Scammers on freelancer websites are aware that you are searching for a job and need money, so to get your attention, they will trap you by claiming to pay a fee higher than other freelancer jobs you will find. This payment will attract quite a number of applicants, now that is stage one of the scam. Stage two will involve them requesting an off-the-website meeting or communication while others will simply rob you of your information to use in their next fraud. You have to watch out and keep your guard up at all times. Before you accept an opportunity with a paycheck that seems too good to be real, check the standard salary or wage for that job that you intend to apply for.
Do not Pay for Work
The easiest scam is having the freelancer pay to access work. Even though in some corrupt countries one might pay to be hired, in freelancing that is nonexistent. If you happen to find a client or opportunity where you have to pay to access the job, RUN! (Freelancing is not a corrupt country). Ask yourself, why do I have to pay to offer my services?
With this evolving global market, why would you have to pay to access work on a website moreover? I am not talking about the subscription or registration fees required by some freelancer websites, am talking about you paying to acquire an advertised job. Something should rub off wrong when you see that.
Read Also: 7 Tips for New Freelancers Who Want to Make It Big
Off-platform Communication
Scammers do not like to be traced, that is why they use Freelance websites as a platform to recruit their victims and after that offer to have off-the-grid communication with them. Where you find the client requesting for off-platform communication (creepy), that is most likely a scammer besides, who would like the hassle of off-platform communication where a website is providing a conducive environment to have a business transaction carried out (not me and should not be you either) besides a legit employer will be to busy for that as all they want is the job done.
Sharing Account Access
Asking to access your freelance website account is a total red flag. What would they need access to your account for? Apparently, a client could ask you to let them access your account as a way to make more money. Don’t fall for it, this in all its ways is a total scam, if a client requests to access your website account, leave immediately and cancel the job offer. This is normally done during the application process. Every time you see a job advert, you will be prompted to apply for it however during the interviewing or reviewing of documents, the client requests to access your account. Do not hesitate to report such issues as websites always have provisions for you to voice your complaints.
Payment Method
Did you know you could get scammed through unusual forms of payment? When looking for freelancing work, you will probably land on sites that pay through gift cards, cryptocurrencies, and goods. These kinds of payments should be unacceptable as either the client is not serious about the job or they are not financially stable. Let us say you are in a different country and you work for a gift card from a company unavailable in your country. What will you do about that?
Wrap Up: A good freelancing will give you peace of mind and a bad one will surely give you a lesson to learn from. Before accepting the policy or terms and conditions of a particular Freelance website, please read them thoroughly. That is your job contract, if the site’s policy does not align with yours, do not sign up or apply for that job.