Looking For Freelance Writing Websites: 5 Signs Of A Scam

Although there are plenty of writing jobs available online, some of these projects could be scams. A scam artist is always looking for people who will fall for their con. They may choose the writing industry because they are able to play on the writer's desire to make money. To avoid falling prey to these predators, writers should keep these following rules in mind.

We Love Your Work

A scam artist will often start with flattery. They may tell the writer that they saw their work online and want to work with them. In this scam, the writer is asked to create website content or a sales letter. The payment is promised to occur after the business is up and running. Over the course of a few weeks or months, the writer puts in a lot of hours working for the company. Ultimately, the payment never arrives.

Pay to Work With Us

With this scam, the writer is required to pay a fee to join a company or a website. Afterward, the “client” says that the writer will be able to earn an unreasonably high income. Although there are a few writers' organizations that may charge a fee, clients should never require a writer to pay money.

I Can Get You a Contract

This is a version of the previous scam. In this version, the scam artist waits to ask for money. Instead, they have the writer send in their portfolio and talks about a potential book deal, contract or show. Before long, the scam artist starts asking for money.

Free Work

It might not be strictly a scam, but it is certainly unethical. A client will submit a project on a bidding site. When writers apply, they ask for a sample from each writer for free. Instead of hiring anyone, they compile these samples together and end up with free work. Writers should never submit in a sample unless they are paid for it. Instead, they should send in something from their portfolio or require the client to pay them for it.

Perpetual Royalties

This could be a legitimate business, but it could also be a scam. A client may promise payments based on views or a percentage of any products sold through the site. Unless the writer is working with a reputable company, they have no way of knowing how much the client is actually making. In some cases, the client may accept all of the work and choose not to pay out at all.