Prevent me from getting scammed. Need Suggestion from BHW

[rocky12]

Hey,

Few days back, I got hired by a web agency to write content. for them.

They first advertised at PPH and asked to contact them via skype.

After some scrutiny of previous works, I was hired by them. They also asked me to sign an agreement.

But they've a condition that they'll pay me on 25th of every month by paypal.

So, everyday I'm writing around 2k of words for them. TAT is also very fast. 4hours/ 1000 words.t

Now, literally there is no assurance that the only point of c
ontact that I've with them is the Skype Id.

The guy looks professional. I've confronted him regarding this issue and he said that he' Il have to ask his content director.
They confirmed that I'll be paid on 25th only.

What should I do?

Plese help a brotha out

 

[ContentExpert]

The only suggestion I can give you is to continue your work until the payment date (Hold up your end of the agreement) and hope you're compensated as they promised. What you don't want to do is give them a reason to not pay you so don't skip a day of writing content for them as this would technically violate your agreement and would give them grounds to not compensate you. There are a ton of content writer's out there now looking for work, you're one of the lucky one's who found someone who contracted you for the work (Let's just hope they pay). I will say though, that I don't find it unusual for them to want to pay you once per month, especially if you're dealing with a company and not an individual.

Most of the companies that I've written for on a regular basis paid me monthly (Or weekly in some cases) so I wouldn't say that based off what you're telling me that you're getting scammed. Do a good job though, show them that you're worth every penny they're spending with you and you will hopefully have a long term opportunity with whom you're working for.

Good luck!

 

[Wilson Grant Fisk]

Looks like a solid scam.
If he is genuine then you would have a legal contract that had more than a Skype ID.
Many companies operate that way but unless he has shared a business address, tax id, office telephone number etc I would be wary.

 

[accountkings]

When it comes to content writing gigs you should be able to find people who will pay you at the end of each day for those 2k words....anyone holding out periods of time I would be weary of.

 

[ContentExpert]

When it comes to content writing gigs you should be able to find people who will pay you at the end of each day for those 2k words....anyone holding out periods of time I would be weary of.

The problem with this is that by the time he finds out he's not getting paid (If he doesn't get compensated), the content will have already been provided to them and used so it's not as if he can find another buyer within the same niche to sell the content to.

 

[blackbeans]

Rule #1 in freelance writing: Get paid upfront

This advice prevents so many headaches

Beware of 'content farmers'

 

[ContentExpert]

Rule #1 in freelance writing: Get paid upfront

This advice prevents so many headaches

Beware of 'content farmers'

Although I haven't yet been a victim of this kind of scam (Content farmer as you say), I can see how a content writer could easily get scammed by this kind of proposal. You get hired full-time by a "company" (If it's even a company to begin with), you agree to get paid once per month to deliver daily content and then BOOM, pay day comes around and they block you on Skype and they get away with a month's worth of content for free.

Believe me though, I'd be doing my research to see which site(s) had my content published and they'd have it coming to them.

 

[Th3 Canadian 3h]

Worst case just upload everything to many web2.0s and make it so it all fails copy scape causing issues with the work. They going to spin all those articles? Maybe but it will be a pain in the ass. Or by law if you wrote them you own them, they dont pay you own them search for the sites in Google and get a legal document drawn up for copyw warning. Cause problems with the clients

 

[Th3 Canadian 3h]

Keep writing till the 25th though so not to void your side of the contract like posted above, only drop wrath of God if it does not work out..... don't prematurely over react. Keep positive until then and learn form your mistakes, we have all been there bud.

 

[Deleted member 1006940]

You have to get paid up front.. I ran a business actually with this model [but paid 15 days later]..

I almost went BROKE doing this.. if you give people an inch.. they'll take a mile..

Some pretty shitty humans out there.. just keep contracts up to make sure you never get left with the problems.

Sorry to say, sounds like you'll be scammed shortly.. I REALLY HOPE YOU ARE NOT!!

 

[Deleted member 969102]

Write the content.

If they are legit, you get paid. If they are not, Copyscape the content and destroy their site.

 

[Chris.Roark]

Looks like a solid scam.
If he is genuine then you would have a legal contract that had more than a Skype ID.

Agree with that. You need shorter timeframes between payments.

Check the agency history.

in addition, I will consider to 're-consider' them after the first payment. It this payment takes place

 

[Zweistein]

I would stay away if I were you. Speaking from experience here.
I once got a client on Elance a while ago, and thought I had struck a good deal and they were to pay every two weeks. I was writing them about 9,000 words daily, and after the 2 weeks, they were there not responding (they didn't even disappear from Skype).
They don't care getting banned from freelancer sites, it's their daily errand to do that.

I waited for about two weeks for the content to be indexed, then searched it on google and got those sites.
I thought of screwing them, but I just gave up and blamed my ignorance. I wouldn't have gotten anything in return. Just a lesson learned.

It's a big pain for you to wait 25 days, and get nothing.

As much as you could be desperate or looking at a sweet deal, I'd advise that you keep your distance from such kind of clients.
Get paid upfront.

just my 2 cents

 

[Bedbug]

Thats how it works.... sometimes you got to trust!!. Either way if they refuse you post everything online and index

 

[Zweistein]

Thats how it works.... sometimes you got to trust!!. Either way if they refuse you post everything online and index

Sometimes you don't have to trust, especially when you are in that situation.

If OP is writing 2,000 words content daily, which assuming is worth at least $20, you are looking at $500 in 25 days. Now, meet a random person online, take it to skype....will you agree under any circumstance to give them $500 for anything? Keep in mind that this is someone you know nothing about. It's the same case.

I am not saying it is a scam, but there are high chances that it is. I mostly dislike the way they are telling the OP that there is a content director who will be notified.

Again, I don't think it would hurt to grind up words and try letting the client understand the situation that they are putting you in. If they have been online they know that paying upfront is an option.

 

[davids355]

No way would I be doing this for someone I don't know.

Best thing you can do is just turn it down.

It just sounds way to likely to go wrong.

 

[stevesolo]

Continue your work till 25th mate. If they will not pay to you on the mentioned day, just take it as an experience. Hereafter, don't fall in this type of situation. Be aware and do things after thinking twice or thrice.

 

[Shana Walters]

Personally I would request payment for each time I submit content to them. So if I am submitted content daily or weekly, then my payment needs to follow afterwards.

If this is a scam, with all the work you have already done, it will be too late to do something about it. If it is not a scam, then it is cool to keep going if you can deal with the payment schedule.