When looking for employment on the internet, freelancers must be aware of how to prevent being scammed.
Making the decision to work as a freelancer has the potential to transform your life. You could take on assignments that aren't the best fit for you when you first start out as a freelancer. Many freelancers have been in this situation, and sadly, many of them have been scammed.
As a result, freelancers in all industries must be prepared. When it comes to taking on new employment through online platforms and social media, knowing the red signs is crucial. One of the most common freelance mistakes is not being prepared to defend your trade.
An incident from real life
JustBurstOut, a full-service end-to-end content firm, was hired by Vedantu, an online learning platform, for one of the content production projects (6000+ pieces). For the same, JustBurstOut engaged around 100 freelance writers.
All of the writers and editors worked together at all hours of the day and night to complete the job in January, and Vedantu published it and promised to pay them within a few weeks. However, following up on the payment has been extremely draining for them over the month of February. Vedantu is giving them excuse after excuse on the due date, and the payment deadline has been changed numerous times. With more than 100 freelancers following up for payment, JustBurstOut is in a difficult situation.
When the co-founders of Vedantu, Vamsi Krishna Anand Prakash Pulkit Jain, began receiving escalations from writers, they resorted to cheap techniques and began harassing and threatening them. Such unethical enterprises in the education sector, with unscrupulous staff, pose a threat to India's whole educational system.
Also Check: Freelancing escrow accounts: Work with ease without worrying about your payments.
Freelance platforms: red flags to look out for
1. When a deal seems too good to be true - When looking for freelance job, the biggest red flag to look out for is if the work sounds too good to be true. If your employer, for example, gives you basic labor at a high wage, you should take it. There is no reason for a corporation to pay a premium rate for simple work when it can be done for a reasonable cost elsewhere.
2. Having an empty profile and negative reviews - After being offered a job or finding a position on one of these platforms, a candidate should examine the employer's profile first. It's critical to have a strong online presence, which includes a website and clickable social media profiles. The lack of a website or even a legal address in addition to the firm name raises warning flags.
The presence of a huge number of negative reviews is a warning sign. It's also concerning that there aren't any reviews.
3. Employers Who Ask For Money First - Any payment requested by the employer before the freelancer receives the work should raise a red flag. For instance;
1. The employer insists that the freelancer purchase a specific program or tool from them in order to do the work.
2. To be considered for the job, the freelancer must pay a fee.
How to take on a project stress-free
Freelancers benefit from being paid upfront as it helps keep their cash flow stable and avoid situations where clients do not pay them after the project is completed. This gives you a sense of security, which can help you focus on the project (rather than worrying about whether you'll get paid). Unfortunately, clients won't always want to pay upfront.
It's also possible to ask your clients to make the payment through a digital escrow company if they don't want to pay upfront.
Escrow requires that the client pay the amount before you begin on the project. Third parties hold a client's payment and release it to you once they have been satisfied. Your clients will feel more comfortable paying you upfront if you use an escrow service. This allows you to focus on your work knowing that payment is on its way.
Digital Escrow Service In India.
Digital escrow services are offered by many companies in India. Among the most trusted is Vouch.
Vouch’s Digital Escrow service is a transparent way for buyers and sellers to build trust and secure a clean transfer of product and payment. Sellers can feel assured that they will be fairly compensated promptly, and buyers will feel confident that their order will be delivered as expected and on schedule. Vouch Digital Escrow keeps you updated and informed at every step of the transaction process till the end. Vouch’s professionals are always available to assist you with all queries that you may have during the entire transaction process.
There is no scope for deceit or fraud since the payments, shipping, delivery, and execution are carried out under the honest and watchful eyes of the Vouch’s professionals. With Vouch, any business transaction becomes transparent, uncomplicated, and hassle-free. If you ever come across a fraudster asking for OTP, asking you to scan a QR code, or asking you to click on phishing links, you can simply refuse and ask him/her to proceed with the transaction through Vouch.
Check back here to learn more about Escrow and how to protect yourself from fraud.
Safety is not just about protecting your credit, debit card number, and UPI accounts. It's about having control of your money till you've received the product or service you bought online!
Let's get your transactions secure on Vouch. It's just a click away.
