Signs of a Typical Scam. Guide for Newbies

Thank you. I am glad we can share experience and help others avoid online scam.
There is one particular group on elance posting about 5 jobs a day under different IDs from different countries, but they do not bother to re-write their requirements. Sometimes they forget to delete "odesk" from jobs they post on elance. They pay cents and have an overwhelming list of requirements. They do not intend to hire writers for long-term, whereas they justify low rates with bulk orders. I am fine, I stay away, but there are plenty of people buying it. Besides, they are abusing clients as well.

 

I was going to create a new thread on this topic but though it might be better suited in here.

Basically what are the options in regards to a client not paying? I generally try and find work through sites like PPH etc... at least there clients are more inclined to pay a deposit and it seems more geared towards trustworthy users. The actual amount I should have received isn't much but it is more the principle of it as the copy I wrote is now on the site without any payment to me - the client blocked me on Skype and hasn't responded to my messages after I sent an invoice on PayPal.

Any advice would be great.

Also, I'm think it has already been said in this thread, but request a percentage upfront. Obviously I didn't really follow my own advice above but generally I look for about 40%. It spreads the risk and means you have something to show for what you did and usually yo can sell the work on and make up most of the original price.

 

Send a DMCA notice. You also have the option to file a complaint with Google.

If the client has not agreed to upfront payment or partial payments throughout the process, complete the assignment. Create an image of the assignment (watermarked) so the client can view it and see that the work has been completed. Password protect the text file. Send or upload the completed work. Tell the client that he/she will get the password to unlock the file once payment has been received.

 

My only concern is compatibility. For example, I have Win 7 which does not allow for password protection of files or zip archives. I will need software for it. If a client has Mac, there is a chance he might not even be able to install the software I am using. Have you ever had issues with clients complaining over password protection? I realize the lower the client wants to pay, the more complaints he is likely to have. I am just trying to predict potential difficulties.

 

I never had issues.

Other options:
-Upload the file to your server. Password protect that file. When the money is received, issue the password so the client is able to retrieve the file.
-Use Google Docs. You are able to set permissions on who is able to access which files. When the money is received, grant permission to access the file(s).

 

Thanks, I submitted a DMCA notice so I will see how that goes. Like I said, it is more the principle of it rather than anything else.

The Google Docs idea is good actually, cheers for that.

 

@alasdairsim : I thought you we're joking. Now i can see you are serious.
Why did you lie about blocking you on Skype?
Why didn't you mention that it was not the first deal and you have got paid for the first deal. It is very important to mention that. If the first deal which was a bigger amount than the second was paid , what was the reason not to pay for something ? Why didn't you email me ?
Why didn't you add me from a different Skype to see if i blocked you ?
Man those are 20 fucking dollars ... but hear me out buddy : If rankings drop to my site due to your DMCA notice even though you only provided 10% work ( the work he provided was correction of a 1000 words text) and the text was not in his ownership , buddy you will have a good lawsuit.
I am sure that you lied Google that everything on there is written by you, but i can prove the contrary because the content was made by a reputed guy from here who owns a copywriting company and i can prove the payments done to him and emails from him with the content from past of the complaint.

For who wants to know what happened , please look here : https://forums.digitalpoint.com/thr...our-ip-phone-marketing.2682012/#post-18751406

So buddy, if i were you , i would do anything to stop this bullshit once for all.
I have also Paypal receipts which proves i have paid you for previous work and if something happens to my site .


For anyone who thinks i could simply run away with 20$ after first work was paid, i will post my entire history on Paypal with hundreds succesful transactions with members from DP .

 

When one person files a DMCA complaint, the other person involved has the opportunity to tell his/her side of the story. The host receives the complaint, notifies the person the complaint is against and then that person has 24 hours to respond. The site is not suspended immediately.

If you can prove that the person has posted false accusations or statements about you and/or your business, then you can bring the issue to the attention of the DP mods or admins and see if they will remove the post(s) containing the false accusation(s) or statement(s) and/or suspend or ban the users account.

 

"Buddy" suggests condescending. As if a writer is a small dog, or some kind of a tame pet, and a client is the master.
I can live with 'man, mate, bro,' but 'buddy' makes me cringe.

 

Vlasic , you are right .
When i wrote the post i was in a complete anger.
I mean , i was never wrong with anything. I had a family problem which required me to be in a different city without internet access just from mobile.
Taking in consideration that we hpe ave successfully dealt before , he should have understood that there must be an emergency.
Secondly , i have never received any message on Skype or email. I had my Skype opened 80% of the time. I can show a shot of my phone Skype but i think its a little too much for 20$ .
Then he comes on a public forum and claims i have stolen from him.
Then he contacts Google for a DMCA complaint which is false. He only corrected the text made by someone else so i don't see him owning those contents written by someone else and he was only the corrector.

Again, if he tried to contact me over here by email or on the Paypal email address this problem should have been sorted out earlier.
I have posted my Skype screenshot to show you guys that his claims that i have blocked him on Skype are false. He didn't even allow me on his Skype address and that's why i haven't received the messages.

So all this stuff for only 20 fucking dollars.
I have sent him today numerous PMs in which i have requested his paypal address because i will make the payment + bonus for waiting on my mobile. He refused to send me .


Bottom line : He corrected a text and we have agreed on the amount of 20$ . Then he files a DMCA complaint on content that was not created or owned by him

I am still grateful that FBI / CIA / INTERPOL / Obama were not contacted in this matter.

 

I am glad we're on the same page about the 'buddy' thing.
I am unaware of the procedure you will have to go through to save your content, site's reputation and ranking, but I am sure with proper wording and proof you can sort this out with Google. I wonder if it is possible to peacefully resolve this with your editor.

You may be unaware of how often this sort of thing happens, and there is no way of telling whether a writer has been scammed by a client, or the client is just temporarily unavailable due to family circumstances. When every second client is looking to rip you off, you 'kind of' begin being mad about it. You lose $20 once, twice, thrice... I personally have been ripped by a client I thought was decent because he always paid on time. However, he chose not to transfer the last big payment, and I had to threaten reporting him to DP moderators. The threat worked, and he paid. Another client couldn't care less, even though he was an established member. Obviously, he thought a Greenhorn cannot get an Established member banned. He was wrong.
What I am trying to say is $20 may not be a big deal, but it also may be the last drop that makes a peaceful person take drastic measures.
What happened to you is a reflection of a global trend.
I believe freelancers need trade unions, just like any other workers.

 

Beware of clients who do not anything that would prove their identity, and usually get into freelance sites such as Odesk and request writers for an interview outside the site probably via email.These are real scam, who have perfected their art and they usually make the deal too good for any writer to refuse.Take this from someone who has recently been ripped off $352.

 

Thank you for the input, Mr.Sidney. We should support the scam knowledge base for our own sake.

 

Yes indeed, lets educate other freelance writers and make it hard for the scammers to operate

 

The problem with DMCA notices is that no one in another country is afraid of them. They know they are unenforceable overseas and that no one is going to try to sue someone in another country for a few dollars.

Just had a friend ripped off by a very old scam. Guy paid well for the first 10 articles, then asked for a bulk discount. She gave him a 10% discount, he ordered 20 more articles, but never paid her and has seemingly disappeared from the face of the earth. He told her at one point that he owned about 200 websites, and the email was through what was evidently a tossaway domain he used to scam people. Not to say that everyone who has hundreds of sites is a scammer, because I know quite a few who are legit, but by-and-large, they have turned most of their work over to outsourcers and don't care if those people scam you. They just take down the content and keep on going.

 

@Angelpie
That was one of the most depressing periods of my life, but I am glad I`m over it now....hope your friend gets over it too, and takes appropriate action.

 

Here is one more. I recently got two identical invitations on a freelancing platform, but from different users in different countries. The wording was identical, so was the price and terms. Of course, they 'both' wanted to discuss work details outside the platform. None of them had substantial history on the website. And the payment sounded good, so they got like 160 applications collectively.
Sometimes, you would run into different projects with identical wording and coming from different locations. There can only be one reason why a 'client' uses VPN, or whatever, to change IP every time they post a job.
Take it as it comes and report the scammers right away, even if you haven't been scammed by them. Make the world a better place.

 

One way not to get scammed is to not write until the escrow has been funded. And always have a second use for the content you write for a client. If your in the same niche as a client, you will have an automatic second use.

 

Good advice. Ive done small tests a couple times, but usually it was a company I knew. I remember trying to find work on craigs list. what a nightmare that was. Gave up very quickly.

 

I've found that poor english, too many guidelines, not enough details and "too good to be true" are all red flags.