Working online attracts many people. Some people see it exclusively as a part-time job and additional income. There are also those who, for one reason or another, can only work in this format, for example, people with disabilities and the elderly. Students are often interested in online work. Ordinary work with a standard schedule, when you are at the workplace from morning to evening, does not suit them because of their studies.
There are many options for working online today. Finding interesting offers is easy. You can look at specialized resources that offer current vacancies. You can also visit one of the trading platforms that publish various ads, including vacancies. The difficulty lies not in the search in general, but in finding an honest offer, because the chance of encountering scammers is quite high.
What is copywriting and why is it popular?
One of the popular areas of part-time work is copywriting. What is it? In simple words, it is writing texts. A person who does this is called a copywriter, but you can also use the more familiar word for our ears - author.
This type of work is quite accessible, even if you don't have any special experience or education. The level of complexity of the tasks varies, and many of them can be handled by anyone. Unfortunately, it is precisely because of the popularity and ease of entry into this field that scammers are quite active in it and are constantly coming up with new fraud schemes.
How does the fraud scheme work?
It is worth starting with the fact that there are various ways in which scammers try to swindle money from gullible people. This area is no exception. Let's go through the main stages to make the process more understandable for the dear reader:
The first stage is advertising the vacancy. You can find offers for copywriting on various job search platforms or on social networks. The offer itself can sound different: writing articles, creating content for websites, describing products, etc. Of course, not all such offers are scams. Copywriting is a very real profession and you can make money writing texts, but you need to be careful not to become a victim of scammers.
The second stage is when an interested person contacts the employer. He communicates in a friendly, convincing and professional manner. Often, scammers demonstrate a “portfolio” or mention well-known companies with whom they allegedly worked. For example, they may show you screenshots. Look at them carefully. Do they look like pictures that were made in an editor? You can’t always trust such evidence of virtue. The employer may rush you into making a decision. This is already suspicious. He may motivate this by saying that the offer is limited, there are many candidates, etc.
The third stage – insurance premium requirement. Here is the key point when you should immediately refuse to continue. The employer explains that to start cooperation you need to pay a certain amount of money. This can be an insurance premium, for example, to guarantee that you will complete the task, payment for some instructions, access to the platform or tools for work, and the like. The amount is several hundred hryvnias.
The fourth stage is the disappearance of the employer and blocking you. As soon as you transfer the money, the scammer gets what he wanted from you and simply stops responding. Most likely, you will also be blocked so that you cannot write to them or call them.
When should you be wary?
First, the requirement of prepayment is already a reason to suspect a fraudulent scheme. No real employer will demand money from you at the beginning of cooperation. You want to earn money as a worker, but for this you need to pay - it already sounds somehow strange and not very logical, doesn't it!?
Secondly, if the pay is too high and the work is very simple and there is not much of it. You should be critical of such an offer. This is a signal that something is wrong here.
Third, uncertainty on the part of the customer. If the employer does not provide clear information about the company, the task, and the payment, then the probability of fraud is very high. He has something to hide.
Is an unpaid trial assignment normal?
Often, job seekers are put off by a trial assignment. It is often unpaid. In fact, there is no need to be afraid of this. This is a common practice, and it is normal. On the contrary, it is an indicator that the job is real and the employer wants to test you first to understand the level of your skills, but there are certain nuances.
Don’t agree to huge proofs or work that resembles a real order. This can also be a hidden way of fraud – when your proof becomes a finished text for which you are not paid.
How can a copywriter avoid becoming a victim of fraud?
In short, it is important to be careful and not too trusting. You must remember that this is a remote job and you never know and cannot be sure 100% with whom you are communicating. People are different. Some do not mind profiting at someone else's expense. If something seems suspicious, it is better not to take risks. Do not be afraid to ask a lot of questions. This is normal! The more information you have, the better, because you will be able to see the full picture and understand whether everything is normal in this offer or whether it smells like a scam.
Here are some specific recommendations that we recommend you follow to avoid becoming a victim of scammers:
- Never pay money in advance.. If you are asked to make a contribution, pay for your tuition, or prove your seriousness with money, it is almost always a scam. It is better to look for another option.
- Try to check the employer. If it is a company, then there should be information about it on the Internet in any case. Pay attention to the reviews. If it is a private person, then this will be more difficult, but you can try to search for some information by phone number. The Getcontact application can help with this.
- If you are offered a test task, remember that it should not be too large or complex.
- Clarify the payment terms in advance. If the employer doesn't even want to talk about it, then it's definitely a scam.
- Pay attention to the manner of communication. Communication is something that can help you understand a lot and draw certain conclusions. An honest employer will always answer your questions and provide additional information about the job and requirements.
What to do if you have been cheated?
- Gather evidence – take screenshots and save your payment receipt.
- Contact the platform where you found the job. Administrators may block the scammer.
- Leave a review to warn others.
- If the amount of losses is significant, contact the cyber police.
Let's summarize
Working as a copywriter online can be a great opportunity to earn money, but it is important to be careful when searching for a job so as not to become a victim of scammers. It is enough to be critical of the offers and never make any financial contributions. If something worries you, it is better to refuse cooperation.
