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, here are 5 best freelancing tips that you should follow to avoid scams:

Tip #1: Research 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 ask you for money

Of all the freelancing tips, this one is critical and of utmost importance. 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 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: Ask your potential employer to pay for your test work

Another common type of scam that many freelancers encounter is asking them to submit a test work and getting ghosted after. Many employers ask applicants to submit test work to fully assess their skills. While nothing is wrong with this, scammers use this as an opportunity to steal work from freelancers. 

So 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 your work requirements, duration of the project, amount of salary, and other terms and conditions. 

Doing this will help ensure that you will get your earnings 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 primarily lie on you. Therefore, you must know how to protect yourself from scams and exploitation, especially today when scams are prevalent in the freelancing industry. To do that, make sure to always keep yourself well aware and informed. Start applying now and don’t forget these freelancing tips.