How to avoid online freelance scams

Many people are aware of the many work-from-home scams that the internet is so full of, but the online freelance world is also full of scams. Scammers often prey on those new to freelancing, but even experienced freelancers can fall victim to these scams if they don’t know what to look for. If you’re looking for freelance jobs online, you’ll want to know how to avoid freelance scams. Here are some tips.

one. Don’t blindly give away your work. Many freelance scammers will ask for samples of unpaid work. For freelance writers, they will sometimes ask for a “test article” from all applicants to determine the best writer to hire. However, most of these scammers never actually plan to hire a writer. What they do is take all the free items and use them on their own websites or resell them illegally. As the original author, he will not receive credit for his work or be paid for the articles. If someone requests a writing sample, send them a link to something you’ve already written that was previously posted on a client’s website. This way, if the person requesting the writing samples is running a scam, they will be less likely to steal work that has already been published elsewhere.

2. Don’t give out too much personal information. Scammers attempting to commit social security number scams, identity fraud scams, or other business scams often collect social security numbers and bank account information by pretending they are legitimate business owners who are hiring for a job. They’ll ask applicants for their Social Security numbers and say it’s for a background check, or they’ll say they need to have this information on file for future tax purposes. If you work for only one employer and earn more than $600 in a year, employers must report your earnings to the IRS and therefore will need your social security number. However, there is no reason why someone who has not yet hired you should apply for your SSN. Similarly, do not reveal your bank account information. Under no circumstances should anyone need your account numbers before hiring you. If they want to pay you via direct deposit after they’ve hired you and done the work, that’s up to you. A safer way to do this is to use PayPal. In this way, the employer does not have direct access to your bank account.

3. Get everything in writing. If a client does not offer you a contract, you must use your own contract or a letter of agreement. If someone isn’t planning to pay you or is trying to scam you, they’ll be less likely to if you have the terms spelled out in a legally binding document. It is common practice for freelancers to ask for partial payments up front, especially for new clients. Therefore, if you have not worked with a client before and are contracted to do a large amount of work, it is wise to secure at least a third of your payment up front. If the client is legitimate and can pay you after you complete the job, they should have no problem paying you a portion up front. If you’re signing a client contract, make sure the terms clearly state when you’ll be paid. If the terms state that you will be “paid upon publication,” make sure you know when your work will be published. Some scammers use a contract that states they will pay for the post, but they haven’t released a post yet. If the terms state that you cannot resell your work until after the publication date, then ultimately you will have to wait until such time as they decide whether or not to publish your work. It may be in several months, or it may be never.

Looking for legit freelance jobs? Check out Go Freelance job boards for all kinds of freelance work, from freelance writing jobs to graphic design jobs, website design projects, and virtual assistant work. All jobs posted on Go Freelance are legitimately vetted before they’re posted on the site, so there’s less chance of encountering the typical work-at-home scams you’ll find on so many other job boards.