Know how to spot the red flags and early warning signs of these projects and know
the appropriate methods of reporting projects and clients that you think are spam.
#1: All transactions for a project or contest should be completed onsite via the
freelancer platform. Never agree to send money to a client offsite whether it is via
Paypal, Skrill or even Bitcoin. This often means that they are trying to pay via a
stolen credit card that our anti-fraud teams will be unable to detect, leaving you at
risk.
#2 My client is asking me to communicate with them off site (via Skype, WhatsApp
or other methods)
Skype, Telegram, and Whatsapp are the common tools used by scammers. Avoid
communicating to any client off the freelancer platform via Skype, Telegram,
WhatsApp or other methods. By communicating via the freelancer platform, you’ll
have peace of mind in the case of a customer service complaint or payment
dispute, that records of these conversations are checked by our customer service
team.
#3: My client is asking me for lots of free samples
Be wary if your client is asking for more than one or two samples of your work.
Although it may be important to demonstrate your ability to a potential client, it’s
easy to fall into the trap of giving away free work to scammers. Avoid agreeing to
too many free samples - negotiate on a price and then have a Milestone Payment
created for it.
#4: My client does not want to start a Milestone Payment until the project is
complete
If your client refuses to start a Milestone Payment or avoids questions about their
payment, then it may be best to think twice before accepting the project. Don’t fall
into the trap of starting a project without an agreed upon Milestone Payment.
Ensure that you’ve spoken to your client about their budget, how much you will be
awarded at the completion of the project and have a Milestone Payment created for
you.
#5: I’ve been asked to purchase special software from my client so that I can start
on the project
Never start a project with a client if you have been asked to purchase particular
software or equipment from them. All resources should be easily accessible to you
without needing to pay for them. Be sure to clarify this with your client if he or she
has asked you to purchase any equipment.
#6: My client is new to the platform and has no information on their profile
Before starting a project with a client, it’s important that you review their profile
information for reviews, ratings and payment status. If your client is new to the
platform and has no information to display, you should ask them to verify their
payment method on their profile before starting a project.
#7: My client has received negative reviews
One of the most important things you should do before accepting a project is review
their user profile and any reviews that they have been provided for previous
projects. If the client is fairly new to the site or has received negative reviews, it
most likely means trouble. Steer clear of clients that have received negative
reviews and don’t be afraid to ask questions to new clients.
#8: My client is asking me for IDs and/other documents so they can “verify” my
identity
Do not provide any form of ID or documentation to a client even if they are asking
for it. Scammers are oftentimes successful when they have asked to “verify” an
identity and are given access to ID and other documents. Avoid starting a project
with a client if this is one of their prerequisites. Freelancer’s Know Your Customer
(KYC) aims to prevent fraud and money laundering by confirming customer identity
through documentation collection.
#9: My client gave me a link which requires me to sign in to a site with my personal
details.
Be mindful if your client has asked you to access a link that requires you to enter
your login details. Scammers often attempt to obtain sensitive information including
usernames and passwords for malicious intent. Avoid a phishing attack by being
proactive and aware of your client's behaviour.
#10: The project is invalid or rejected.
Projects that harm freelancers will be rejected and deemed ‘invalid’ by the platform.
Some projects that violate Freelancer’s Terms and Conditions involve hacking,
spamming, falsification of documents, creation, buying or selling of accounts. If a
project is invalid or has been rejected, then it’s best not to work with the client.
Check out our policy on invalid or rejected projects.
([Link])
In addition,
They Refuse to Sign a Contract
A quintessential piece of freelancing advice is to have every client sign a contract at
the beginning of the relationship. The contract is where you define all of
the parameters of the relationship to avoid confusion. That said, many freelancers
are comfortable working without a contract. If you fall into that group, that’s fine;
just understand that you are missing out on a key piece of protection.
If you decide to use a contract, be wary of any client who refuses to sign it. It’s OK if
they have some objections to the contract’s provisions and want some changes.
Everything is negotiable, including the price. But if they flat out refuse to sign
anything, consider that a serious red flag. It may mean they intend to violate your
agreement and don’t want a paper trail.
They Require an Unusual Payment Method
To succeed, it’s wise to give your clients plenty of convenient ways to pay your
invoice. People are more likely to work with you if you make the process
convenient. Doing this is important to ensure that you get paid quickly and reliably.
Sometimes, however, a client is only able or willing to pay one way. They might use
a complicated system that takes months to process the payment or insist on using
an obscure payment platform that burdens you with excessive fees. For example, a
large corporate client may require you to go through their long accounts payable
process and use their vendor’s bill pay system.
You’ll have to make a judgment call here. In some cases, it may be worth your time
to put up with these obstacles. But in other cases, you may find it’s just not worth
the effort.