Avoiding Scams

In this blog post, I’m going to be addressing my fellow freelancers and people who are thinking of setting up some kind of side business but don’t have any experience in the arena. I want to offer you some tips on how to avoid scams.

No, not phone scams or hackers, but people and “companies” who are on the prowl for people just starting out and eager for new opportunities to make business connections, reach a wider audience, etc. These characters will contact you and make you an offer that sounds too good to pass up, but don’t fall for it. Usually, it ends in a lot of wasted time and money, unless they try and steal your bank information as well (which can easily happen if you’re not careful).

My Own Experience

I, unfortunately, have some personal experience in this arena. Back when I started my career as a freelance copywriter I was trying to find a way to make both myself and my business more “official”. During the training that I received from the American Writers and Artists Institute, I had heard a lot about conventions and business groups where you could network and find more clients. Unfortunately I live in a rural area and there just weren’t any groups or events like that around here, so I thought I’d try my luck with online groups. 

Big mistake. 

As I was scanning through various web pages I came across one for an organization claiming to offer female business owners the opportunity to connect with other businesses and learn how to grow their company. 

“Great!” I thought.

So I applied to join the group. I waited for a while and then received a phone call. The group was called the International Society of Female Professionals, for anyone who wants to know, and the person on the other end of the line was very good at buttering people up. Being ridiculously naive, I fell for every word she said and joined the group.

They required a one-time membership fee and I had to give them my credit card information over the phone (another red flag I should've noticed, feel free to yell at me), and then sent me a “welcome packet” with instructions on how to set up my profile in their network.

So I did as they said, but when I got to my “member page” all that was there was my picture and a brief description about me. There was no way to connect to other people, there were no free training courses, there was nothing. At this point, I did what I should have done all along and googled their reviews. To no one’s surprise, I learned that they are a scam operation that charges hidden fees and has nothing of value to offer. 

I canceled my membership the same day as I bought it and didn’t have any problems with them after that, but I learned a very important lesson. So I decided to put together a list of three things you can do to make sure you and/or your business avoid getting scammed like I was.

3 Tips to Avoid Getting Scammed

You Can Do it Alone

The number one tool to keep you from getting scammed is to take a moment and realize that you don’t need them. I found out later that, with a little effort, I was able to connect to people and build my business without some random company doing the work for me. 

Lots of scammers and subpar companies take advantage of people’s fear that they aren’t smart enough or experienced enough to do something by themselves. Don't fall for it. Just because you don’t have a lot of experience yet, doesn’t mean you can’t take care of things yourself. On top of that, you can research almost anything business-related online and have access to multiple websites, blogs, and Youtube videos that will help you for free.

Don’t Get Lazy

Another thing that scammers prey on is people’s laziness. If you can pay a company a few bucks a month to do something, why not take advantage of it? 

Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of legitimate people and companies out there who offer time-saving services, me included. The key is to do thorough research on a company before handing over any personal or financial information. If I had taken the time to do a little research on the International Society of Female Professionals I would have saved myself time, money, and a headache.

Watch out for Flattery

The book of Proverbs says that someone who flatters you lays a trap at your feet, and it’s true. If you're trying to make any kind of business deal and the other party keeps going on about how impressive your credentials and past work are you should be suspicious. True, you may deliver really outstanding work, but even then a fellow business person won’t usually start gushing praise over it.

Sketchy companies will approach you and tell you that they’ve been looking for someone with your skill level, your business’ success has caught their attention, etc. This should be especially suspicious if you haven't contacted the company before. 

Hopefully, this advice will help you to avoid getting scammed. If nothing else, it was a good opportunity for me to share my experience, and get it out of my head.