Freelancing sites are a great way to make money. Upwork, Fiverr, and plenty of other sites enable people to sell their professional services to clients from around the world.
One common question many people have to ask when getting into freelancing is whether or not it’s safe.
In this blog post, I’ll answer that question so you can use freelancing sites without any fear.
Answer To The Question Are Freelancing Sites Safe:
Freelancing sites are safe but there are many ways you can get scammed on Freelancing sites. This is only if you give them a chance to do so. If you’re prepared you can make sure that this won’t happen to you.
Let’s get into the most common ways freelancing sites can be unsafe.
Trying To Contact You Off The Site
Usually, when an employer contacts you and wants your email or even wants to contact you on apps like WhatsApp, they’re going to try and send you a link that installs malware on your phone.
If they simply want a phone call to discuss the project with you that’s ok.
Very High Payments For Very Simple Work
The way they lure people in is they’ll make the offer for a few hundred bucks and ask you to do something very simple.
This is a big red flag because it’s way too much money for such a simple task.
This is a way they use to lure a bunch of people in at once to potentially scam at least a few of them.
Keep in mind some clients just want high-quality work and will be willing to pay a lot of money for services but you always have to be on guard.
One common way to differentiate a scammer and someone who just wants high-quality work is to see their payment history. Usually, if someone is paying a lot of money for a gig they have an extensive history on the platform. If you think about it no one is just going to hop on and spend a lot of money before knowing what they can get for a cheaper amount of money (at least most of the time).
The Client Will Send a Higher Amount of Money Than Agreed
Scammers sometimes send a high amount of money and then request it back. The money they send isn’t cleared so your account balance will be the same.
Then, they say “Oh I sent too much money. You have to send it back.” This is a red flag because no professional company should ever do this.
This is a way for them to make money because they never actually sent any money to you.
Another they will do this is the client will offer to pay you upfront and then state they no longer want to pay you. They will ask for a refund for the payment that wasn’t going to go through.
Unusual Forms Of Payment
If they offer to pay any way outside of the platform for example by cash or money order you should be extremely careful.
No legitimate client will ever ask to pay a freelancer in a way outside of the site without being asked first.
Having To Pay The Client To Work For Them
Never give a client money in any way. This is a big red flag if they ask you to do that. If they say you have to pay them upfront for anything know that they’re scammers and walk away.
Don’t Start Working Until There is a Contract Within The Freelancing Site
You should never start working with a client unless they’ve signed the contract found inside the platform.
If they ask you to work without a contract or make their own contract that’s usually another red flag that someone is trying to scam you.
What Are Some Ways To Ensure You Don’t Get Scammed
Getting scammed isn’t fun, so below we compiled a list to ensure you stay safe on these freelancing platforms.
Don’t Leave The Platform
It may be tempting because freelance platforms take a cut of your pay but this cut is worth your safety. Never leave the site to contact a client outside the site.
Make Sure The Client Has Feedback on Their Profile
If the client doesn’t have any feedback on their profile that should be a red flag. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re scammers but it’s domething you should ask about.
Only Deal With a Client With Verified Payments
This rule is really up to you and how much risk you’re willing to take, but you should not be dealing with clients whose payment method hasn’t been verified on the platform.
Conclusion:
Freelancing sites are safe but there’s always a risk of getting scammed. That said you can follow these tips and find out if the project is real or not before agreeing to work for them.
I hope this article helps you understand more about how freelancing sites can be safe. If you use them properly you should have no problems.
Are you having any issues with these types of platforms? If so let me know down in the comments below and I’ll see what I can do to help.
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