Effective Ways to Avoid Freelance Writing Scams

Nobody wants to be scammed. I know how it feels to be conned online. I am a freelance writer and it’s hard to describe the feeling of being cheated by others who take advantage of people’s passion for writing. It is traumatizing, demoralizing, painful, and sometimes unbearable. There are many kinds of online writing scams that target freelance writers. There are those who employ freelancers but have no intention to remit the latter’s earnings. There are some freelance writing companies that unfeelingly delay freelance writers’ pay out for several months without considering the financial state of their writers.

Newbies need to be aware of the grim reality in freelance writing business if they want to avoid any untoward circumstances. There are many ways to determine whether a freelance writing company is a scam. All you have to do is be aware of the gimmicks of some companies that are out to cheat on freelance writers.

Beware of mega promises. If you stumbled on a freelance writing site that promises hundreds or thousands of dollars per day, per week, or even per month, think twice. Of course there are legitimate freelance writing companies and workplaces that really offer high earning capacity for qualified and good writers, but you have to tread lightly on anonymous sites and posting.

No qualifications needed at all. It may be possible that even legitimate freelance writing companies require little experience, but always be careful when you stumble upon an anonymous posting which requires little or no experience necessary. Always remember to tip # 1 when in doubt.

Flooding and spamming. Real or legitimate freelance writing companies don’t really resort to spamming just to recruit good freelance writers.

Fluffy website. If you can hardly determine who is the owner and where the company is located, then be very careful. A legitimate employer does not have to hide his/her identity from his/her potential writers. It is important that you be able to gather enough information about the company— what they do, who they serve, how they pay, and how much do they pay.

Vague terms and conditions. Once you found out that your target company has ambiguous terms and conditions and unclear payout scheme, back out. Always look at how the company pays its writers. This is one way to determine whether that company really pays its writers.

Reality check. Go to your favorite public forums or blog communities to check whether your prospect company has bad reputation. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Check other writers’ blogs who previously worked with the company whether they have good or bad things to say.

That’s it! You have to protect your interest against possible scams.