How Not To Get Scammed While Looking For A Freelance Writing Job

There are so many difficulties facing the freelance writer nowadays, and one of the biggest is getting ripped off. i.e., doing the work but never seeing the money! Here are some rules to follow when looking for freelance writing jobs to make sure that you never get scammed again.

Apply for jobs on trusted sites

There are a lot of freelance sites that post plenty of work for writers all day every day. Some of these sites, however, are not very trustworthy. It is worth, therefore, doing some research and finding which sites are trustworthy and which are not. Ask your friends and colleagues for their recommendations, for example, or ask forums on the internet for the best places to find good jobs that will pay the right amount on time.

NEVER pay outside the site

Many sites offer methods through which to pay and receive money so that it is guaranteed to be paid, in full, on time. However, sometimes clients will offer or pressure you into accepting money in different ways - via PayPal or direct debit, for example. NEVER accept money this way. There is a reason that (especially trusted) sites offer to let the transaction go through them. That is because there are many people out there hoping to scam freelance writers into doing work for them without pay. Always pay through the trusted site and, if a client says they cannot pay through the site, DO NOT take the job.

Read reviews

Often, various sites will have means of rating different clients if they are long-term fixtures. Reading these reviews or ratings can often give you an idea of just how trustworthy they are as an employer, whether they pay on time and whether they pay a fair amount. Before you apply for jobs that they may have posted, remember to read these reviews. You can even email and message other people who may have worked for them to ask how they were as a boss. Word of mouth is a great way to get the real story about clients on the internet.

Ask the client to pay first

The client will usually pay you after the work has been done, of course. But sometimes, if you are not happy and they are not trustworthy, it is worth asking whether they will pay part of the first instalment before you have completed the writing. If they are willing, this is often a good indication that they are trustworthy!