6 Popular Freelancing Scams To Avoid in 2022

Freelancing is a great way to make a decent income working from the comfort of your home. A research report recently published by Upwork showed that about 60% of skilled professionals who quit their regular 9-5 job to become full-time freelancers earn more money when compared to what they earned as regular workers. You will find out whether freelancing is for you by reading this article: Advantages and Disadvantages of Being a Freelancer.

As more skilled professionals take up freelance jobs online as an option for earning a decent income, the number of scam jobs targeted at freelancers is also on the increase. According to a report from a survey recently conducted by Flexjobs, for every one legitimate job posted on a freelancer platform, there are about 62 to 75 job scams. Many people confuse freelance jobs from home with work from home scams. It is important to note that even the best freelance websites such as Upwork, Freelancer and Fiverr are havens for job scams. Although these websites are good marketplaces for finding the highest paying freelance jobs and hiring quality talents, recent reports have shown that they are also home to a great number of scammers whose intent is to steal from unsuspecting freelance victims. Majority of freelancers in these platforms have experienced one form of job scam or the other in their freelancing career. 

If you're just starting out your first freelance work online or maybe you're a security-conscious professional hoping to find out how freelance scammers operate, then you're in the right place. This article will guide you by exposing popular freelancing scams that cut across different industries and are common in various freelancing platforms or job boards. It is very important to note down these red flags. 

Let's dive in. 

1. Phishing Pages

Scammers are constantly on the hunt for prey, and sadly freelancers are some of their targets. Scammers use this technique to extract valuable personal information from unsuspecting victims through the use of a faux login or registration page. When you open this fake page and enter details such as your username, password, or any other personal information, it gets received by the scammer on the other end and used for fraudulent purposes. Never give out your personal information. Phishing pages trick you into losing your account ownership, funds, or other important information. Be very wary of website links sent to you by employers. Always ensure to checkout the validity of every URL sent to you before clicking to open the link. 

2. Request for Circumvention 

Circumvention violates Upmychain's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. When a freelancer, client or employer requests you pay or get paid, get a job offer, get a job done, or contact them outside Upmychain, they're trying to avoid taxes and, by doing so, bypass inherent charges. As a freelancer, ensure to always have conversations within the platform. The Message Center is an avenue for discussions concerning all project matters between freelancers and employers. Make sure that your conversations are on the platform. Do not give in to the request of clients who insist that you have a chat or video call using Skype, Zoom, Facebook, WhatsApp or any other social media platform unless you're sure that the client is trustworthy and really worth your time. This will ensure your safety as well as create the provision for Upmychain's legal rights to cover you. 

3. Request to Submit Test/Sample Project

Some clients may request that you submit a test or sample project before they award a job to you. While they use this approach as a disguise for vetting your skills and experience, always ensure that the client deposits your payment for a particular milestone before you begin work. If a client requests for a test project, show them samples of your past work. Most of the time, test projects act as baits to get freelancers to do free work without pay. The clients who perpetrate this injustice know too well that they won't pay you. All they care about is garnering quality work from different freelancers and, afterwards, use the silent treatment for the freelancers who fall prey. Sadly, this is very rampant in the writing industry. There are so many online writing jobs out there for you. Skilled professionals looking for freelance graphics design jobs should be wary of this as well. Ensure not to fall for this scam by working on a project only after the client satisfactorily accepts your proposal and deposits the required funds. 

4. Too-Good-To-Be-True Job Posts

Fake job postings are rampant on freelance platforms these days. When a client posts a fake job, it usually has an unclear description. In cases like this, kindly follow your instincts. Job posts with mouth watering rates for easy tasks that require little to no skills are likely to be false. Avoid such postings that are too good to be true. Most freelance platforms do not have a vetting process that will enable them to checkmate the authenticity of each job posting. In Upmychain, however, jobs posted by employers are true and accurately vetted before being published on the website. Occasionally, you will find genuine jobs posted by actual clients. Also, you can check the history of client profiles and their ratings from previous jobs posted to find out if they're real and can pay you for your work. Always be on the lookout for red flags before you send your proposal. 

5. Payment Before Acceptance of Proposal

Occasionally, some clients might demand for payment before they accept your proposal. Never pay a client to consider you for a job. Sometimes, they may claim that your money will be re-imbursed, but it's not true. 100% of the time they're fake. Do not accept to pay an employer in advance before getting the job. Applications and proposals are not commodities of trade. Avoid falling prey to scammers using this technique by being very cautious of clients who request that you pay them upfront to give you a spot for the job. 

6. Unofficial Payment Methods

There are several approved methods of payment available on Upmychain for receiving payments as a freelancer. Only used these officially approved payment methods when dealing with a client. Avoid sending payments outside Upmychain's approved payment methods as an employer. As a freelancer, always ensure that you get paid via the official approved payment methods found on the platform. Make sure not to transfer, buy, sell, or trade currencies with a client for any reason. Always ignore clients with scam job postings who insist that you trade Bitcoin or any other currency as it is against Upmychain's Terms of Service.

Read Also: Top 3 Realities Of Freelancing: A Complete Guide For Beginner Freelancers