The world of freelance writing is highly competitive for newbies or experienced writers. So, when you are on the hunt for the perfect job, remember, there possibly isn’t one. One thing you should be careful of is the countless number of writing scams that exist. These jobs are everywhere from Craigslist, to Elance, and other job boards. Here are a few freelance writing scams you should keep an eye out for.
Scamming For Your Information
You’ll find this more so with companies that claim they are legit by having a website. Sign up today, send a small sample of your writing, and be sure to submit your social security number, email address, PayPal ID, and a copy of your resume.
As a freelance writer, you are an independent contractor. Never divulge your social security number to a non-reputable site, until you are hired with a contract. Otherwise, you are a victim of identity theft waiting to happen.
Send Us a Free Sample So We Can Evaluate Your Work!
This is a common disagreement in the freelance writing world. Some believe its ok to submit samples, because how else can a client get to know your writing style, right? However, what intrigues me are the specific and original topics they want you to submit to them. Now don’t get me wrong, there are many legit companies who do ask for this. Many of them will compensate you for your sample. However, many more are purely scammers.
Your free sample, along with hundreds of others, will generate scammers a huge profit. Think about it. Did your hair stylist or barber give you a free style so you can ensure they were right for you? No! You had to either view their portfolio, check out a few of their client’s style, or take a chance. This is why it’s suggested to have a portfolio so you can direct them to your work.
Start Making One Figure and Increase to Another
This is not as much as a scam, than a word of advice. If the initial figure is too low to be worth your time, move on. There is no guarantee you will meet their expectations to increase your wages. During that time, you could pursue other opportunities.
The Job Board You Must Pay to Access
To me, there is no reason to pay to see a job posting when they are available free anyway. These companies promise how much work is available, and you must pay before you can even see them. The employer generally pays for these postings, so the freelancer should not have to. There are a few legitimate sites you could pay for though. However, checking out sites such as Freelancewritinggigs.com or Problogger.net is free and extremely resourceful.
So remember, when searching for freelance opportunities, just as the quality content you produce, you want to see quality job descriptions. The type of work you will be doing, the required expectations, word count, turnaround time, amount of pay per word/article, the expectations they have of reviewing your work, and having legitimate contact information, such as a website, will give the important details if it’s a scam or not.
Work at Home Journey 