Today we will talk about an important topic: how to protect yourself from freelancing scams and fake jobs. This is very important for those who want to start freelancing or remote jobs. Many people get frustrated at the beginning due to scams. So today we will learn:
Common tricks of scammers and how to recognize them
Signs that help in recognizing fake work orders
Some free online tools to identify fake clients and emails
How to freelance safely and earn securely
Let’s get started!
How Does a Freelancing Scam Happen?
As the number of freelancers increases nowadays, scammers have also become active. They try to cheat freelancers using various techniques. Let’s look at some of their common methods:
Offer to communicate outside the platform:
Scammers ask you to communicate outside the freelancing platform. They can cheat by bypassing the platform’s security system.
Abnormally high salary promises:
They attract with an extremely high salary offer but do not pay after the work is done.
Request for free test projects:
They get big work done in the name of a test project but do not provide payment or feedback later.
“Pay-to-work” scams:
They ask for a deposit to get the job. Real companies never ask for money upfront.
Request for personal information:
They ask for bank accounts, passwords, or personal information. Sharing these can lead to big losses.
Fake check scams:
They send a large check and ask for extra money back. If the check bounces, you will be the one who loses.
Shared account offers:
They ask to share your freelancing account. This puts the security of your account at risk.
Signs That Help You Recognize Fake Work Orders
Some common signs of fake jobs are:
Indefinite job description:
Only talks about salary, but there is no clear description of the work.Unusual deadlines and demands:
Impossible deadlines and unreasonable demands.Off-platform payment offers:
Off-platform payment methods or requests to transact outside the platform.Poorly written communication:
Grammatical errors and ambiguities in emails or messages.Company’s absence online:
No information about them is available online.Impersonation of real companies:
Misleading email addresses or domains used to present themselves as real.
Things to Do to Avoid Scams
Verify client profiles:
Check reviews and ratings. Be careful with new or unreviewed clients.Communicate and pay through the platform:
Avoid transacting outside the platform.Clear terms of work:
Confirm deadlines, payments, and work details in advance.Use escrow services:
Use escrow to keep payments secure.Be vigilant:
Contact the platform’s support team if anything seems suspicious.
Free Online Tools to Help You
ScamAdviser: Checks the credibility of the website – scamadviser.com
Scamvoid: Checks the reputation of the website – scamvoid.net
Google Safe Browsing: Checks if the link is safe – Google Safe Browsing
VirusTotal: Scans URLs and detects malware – virustotal.com
Email Checker: Checks the validity of the email address – email-checker.net
Hunter.io: Checks the authenticity of the email and domain – hunter.io
What to Do If You Are Scammed
Report to the platform: Report with a description of the incident.
Contact law enforcement: Seek help from the cybercrime unit if necessary.
Warn others: Make others aware by sharing your experience.
Freelancers Also Need to Be Careful
Not only clients — some freelancers can also be scammers:
Claiming other people’s work as their own
Sending malicious software
Closing communication
Using fake testimonials
So, be careful while assigning work.
Final Words and Call to Action
It is possible to earn money through freelancing. However, awareness is very important. I hope today’s discussion was useful for you.
If you found the video useful, please like it, subscribe to the channel, and share it with your friends. If you have any questions or experiences, don’t forget to comment.
Thank you, everyone! Stay aware, stay safe, and have successful freelancing!