Internet Frauds Strike: Remote Freelancers Are at Risk

      Since the pandemic, even some years before, remote/online jobs have been rising as a new culture in the work environment engaging mostly young people. The flexibility offered by it becomes an attractive charm allowing the workers to have a more enjoyable working situation as they can do it wherever (some are also whenever) they can with the most customized space for the workers. No wonder freelancing platforms facilitating the new culture have become more and more popular in recent years. We may have heard about Upwork, Freelancer, Fiverr, etc. These platforms enable whoever from wherever to get paid by working on projects offered on the platform.

    However, jumping onto the platform and trying to earn pennies does not feel as divine as what influencers on the internet tend to say. Aside from the struggle of the competition with other applicants to win a project, another problem like scams ensues making the journey even worse than it already is. A multitude number of internet frauds has been haunting freelancers even on official freelancing platforms. Stories of freelancers not getting their payment after accomplishing their jobs are one of the most common ones besides other scams like identity theft and phishing.

(Internet frauds_Freepik)

Then what should freelancers do to avoid these problems?

These are some simple tips we can do to fight internet fraud as freelancers:

1. Work on projects only through freelancing platforms and stick to the policies

Freelancing platforms exist not only to help us look for projects to work on but they are created to protect our transactions as well. Some of us may think that doing the deal within the platforms will only cut out our fees as they charge us around 10% on average from the total payment. If you think doing the transaction out of the platform will save us, freelancers, more pennies, I guess you're not totally right. Unless you can protect your file by for example coding settings or something similar that can lock the result before payment, I suggest you follow all the directions and policies and do the transactions on the platforms. By doing this, both clients and workers will be protected to achieve their respective goals. Clients can ensure that the work is good enough to match its standard and more importantly the freelancers, make sure that they will be paid after accomplishing the projects. It is such a win-win solution for both sides and of course, guarantees freelancers to get their rights.

2. Carefully share our personal information

Personal information including phone numbers and bank accounts is probably the most risky one to be shared. However, sharing our records like sample works and portfolios may also be misused by the receivers in some cases. Some freelancing platforms suggest workers not share that type of information before they sign the contract with the clients and to be careful about it. I believe it will never be wrong to prevent some unwanted happenings later on. Also, from my personal perspective, sharing our portfolio in the form of the web or other presenting media rather than a downloadable version like PDF somehow gives us more security that it will not be stolen and then used by those scammers. More importantly, if we work through freelancing platforms, most clients do not necessarily need our phone number or our bank account information since all the transactions are bridged by the platform. Thus, we mostly just need to get the projects done based on the agreement and/or contract. 

3. Always be alert and aware of potential scamming behaviors

All freelancing platforms, at least on which I have done my freelancing work so far such as Upwork, Freelancer, Fiverr, and Project.com, warn us not to do any transactions with clients outside of the platform. That is because the action will disable them to monitor the rest of the process including when there is violence in the agreement between clients and workers. In such cases, most of the time the workers are on the disadvantaged side. Thus, if we apply for certain projects and the clients ask us to do further communication through other Apps, we may be alert of any potential crimes from this. If you don't want to go any further, closing the communication right away by not responding to the request rarely disadvantages you. However, if you want to give it a try (who knows it may work), I suggest you make sure you guarantee that you can claim and access your right, which is here to get paid for your work. As we cannot guarantee the clients will pay us after they get the projects done, asking for a signed contract from both sides and/or prepaid projects may be a good option to prevent any potential fraud. In the end, people who are sincerely seeking professionals to do their projects will not complicate the process. Therefore, when something goes out of our working systems/methods, we may be careful not to be a "yes man," and go with the flow without making sure everything is guaranteed for us, workers.

        All in all, every choice comes with its consequences. Despite those sugar-coated narrations of how convenient and advantageous freelance/remote working can be, new challenges emerge similarly. Thus, we may be able to deal with the whole system and make sure our work environment is safe enough for us to work comfortably, especially in terms of our rights and security as workers. I wish you all good luck with your freelance and/or remote working journey!