There are tons of benefits to being a freelancer. You can manage your own time, set your own rates, and choose specific jobs that you want to do. However, it also comes with challenges. One of which is being prone to scams and fake job offers.
There have been plenty of scam reports from different job board platforms, even years before. Since everything is mostly done online, it has become easy for scammers to ghost or steal personal information from freelancers.
With that said, here are some tips that you should follow to avoid getting scammed:
Tip #1: Research about the company/employer you’re applying for
There are tons of jobs being offered online daily. To make sure that you’re applying for a legitimate job, conduct enough research first about the company before sending your application.
Here are some things that you should look into:
- Company website, Linked profile, and linked social media pages
- Several contact information including email address, phone number, and office address
- Clear information about what the company does
- Reviews and feedback on job board platforms
Tip #2: Avoid applying for jobs that asks you for money
You may have encountered this at least once when looking for a freelance job online. The thing about this scam job offers is that it is pretty discreet. They asked applicants for money by disguising it as signup or membership fees.
If you receive such an offer, it would be better to just ignore it. Block if you may, and inform your colleagues as well.
Tip #3: Avoid applying for jobs that are too good to be true
On the other hand, there are also scammers that offer jobs with an insane amount of salary. There are only two possible scenarios you’ll end up with if you apply for this: either you’ll be asked to recruit others and sell their ‘packages’ or get exploited.
Unless it is a technical or high-position job, do not apply for such jobs.
Tip #4: Only take test works that are paid
Another common type of scam that many freelancers encounter is submitting a test work and getting ghosted after. Many employers ask applicants to submit a test work to fully assess their skills. While nothing is wrong with this, scammers use this as an opportunity to steal work from freelancers.
To avoid this from happening, ask your employer to pay you for the test work. If they insisted, better to just let them review your past projects or drop your application.
Tip #5: Ask for a contract
To protect both parties, initiate to have a contract with your employer. The contract should detail out your work requirements, duration of the project, amount of salary, and other terms and conditions.
Doing this will help ensure that you will get paid at the end of the project. In terms of conflict, you can also use your contract to protect your rights.
Conclusion
As a freelancer, all responsibilities are placed in you. Therefore, you must know how to protect yourself from scams and exploitation, especially today that scams are prevalent in the freelancing industry. To do that, make sure to always keep yourself well aware and informed.