COMMON SCAMS IN FREELANCING
The evolution of technology has increased possibilities and access to opportunities but it has also brought a number of problems related to fraud, Identity theft, malware, ransomware, hackers and risks to your finances. We all want to earn money especially if it’s accessible from home and flexible; this yearning for easy income is a part of the new strategy of thieves to get to know you and then assume your identity. And before you know it, you are already a victim.
In this article, we wanted you to familiarise you with some of the common scams in freelancing so that you can have an idea of what are red flags.
- Work-from-home Scams – freelance editing, writing, and graphic designing are the most common freelancing jobs however, despite numerous legitimate ways of earning income from home, some people still fall prey from non-descript work-from-home scams because they are attractive! If a job post does not state what kind of work is being performed or it overstates the earning potential, it could be a scam!
- Multi-level Marketing / Pyramid Schemes – multi-level marketing (MLM) scams work this way: You sign up to the service/company and become a “brand ambassador” then you are compelled to buy the company’s products usually at a discount and then told to sell those products, which they take a cut of the profit you earn, then making you also compelled to get friends, families, and acquaintances to sign up as “brand ambassadors” as well, and the more people you get to sign up to help sell the product the company offers you more bonuses.
MLM is perfectly legal in many countries including the U.S. however, even big companies like MaryKay that offer this type of method also struggle with legal challenges. As a new freelancer, it is safe to advise that you should do a thorough study first before being involved in MLM.
- “Test” Projects – we all know how exciting it is to communicate with a potential client that asks for a sample of your works. This could excite you and make you do sample work that would impress them but in many cases, the client isn’t actually looking to hire. Instead, the client is using test projects to gather quality work from freelancers without having to pay anything. This scam is common for freelance writers.
After knowing some of the common scams, you could have an idea how to avoid them. You can find freelance jobs in Aquent, this site has garnered many awards as a freelancing company. The website is well-established to provide high-quality workers for creative, digital, and marketing purposes.
If you have been targeted by an Employment Scam you can report and file a complaint.
