5 Common Ways Freelance Writers Get Scammed

Ever since I started writing at Plagiarism Today and especially since I started this column, I’ve been hearing a lot from freelance writers who have been scammed or otherwise victimized by unscrupulous clients. Though the good news is that such bad clients are very rare in the big scheme of things, they are common enough that almost every freelancer, if they remain active long enough, will run into one or two over the course of their career.

So, how do you avoid being taken advantage of as a freelance writer? As we discussed previously, clients have the playing field tilted to their advantage on most legal issues. As such, litigation isn’t often practical in these matters.

This means that the best way to protect yourself from these scams is to learn what they are and not step into them in the first place.

On that note, here are five of the more common freelance writing scams I’ve been hearing about over the years. Though they are almost all variations of the “receive work, don’t pay freelancer” scam, they’re all slightly different in how they are executed and what the freelancer has to be on the lookout for.

Beware of these freelance scams

1. The Vanilla

The vanilla scam is the most basic version. Basically, the writer turns in the work, sends in the invoice, and the client never pays up, oftentimes disappearing completely or at least shutting off communication entirely.

It’s the simplest and the most common type of scam, but oftentimes, it isn’t done deliberately. A lot of times, companies go out of business between the time a contract is signed and the work is received. Likewise, life happens to clients as well as freelancers, and they aren’t able to fulfill their side of the bargain timely. Just because a client hasn’t paid in X number of days does not make them a scammer.

That being said, if you turn in your work, submit your invoice, and don’t hear back, there is a decent chance that you are being taken advantage of, especially if the work has been posted on the client’s site or otherwise used.

2. The Rewrite Loop

The goal of the rewrite loop scam is to make it so that the writer feels as if he or she is the reason they aren’t being paid, not the client. Basically, what happens is that, after the writer submits the work, the client constantly demands rewrites and fixes to a submitted work until the writer is forced to give up, completely unable to meet the client’s constantly changing demands or impossibly high standards.

The end result of the rewrite is that the freelancer is forced to either walk away or accept a reduced payment for the work, despite having put in the extra time and energy into the rewrites for the work.

Here’s how the scam typically unfolds:

1. Initial Agreement. The freelancer and client agree on a project scope, deadline, and payment terms. The project seems reasonable and well-defined.
2. Submission and Initial Feedback: The freelancer submits the work, believing it meets the agreed-upon requirements. However, the client comes back with extensive feedback, often focusing on minor details, subjective preferences, or issues not previously discussed.
3. The Rewrite Begins: The freelancer addresses the feedback and resubmits the work.
4. Escalating Demands: Instead of being satisfied, the client introduces new criticisms, often contradictory or vague. The goalposts shift constantly, making it impossible for the freelancer to meet the evolving “requirements.” Examples of these escalating demands might include:
   • Requests for rewrites that fundamentally alter the project’s initial scope.
   • Subjective complaints about tone or style that are impossible to satisfy.
   • Demands for “perfect” grammar and syntax that go beyond reasonable expectations.
   • Introduction of completely new requirements or changes to the brief after the work has been substantially completed.
5. Wearing Down the Writer: The constant rewrites, combined with the feeling of never being able to satisfy the client, take a toll on the writer’s morale and motivation. They invest significant time and effort into revisions, often without seeing any progress toward approval.
6. The Ultimatum: Eventually, the client presents the freelancer with an ultimatum: either accept a significantly reduced payment (or no payment at all) for the work completed or continue the endless rewrite cycle with no guarantee of eventual payment. Many freelancers, feeling exhausted and defeated, choose to walk away or accept the reduced payment to cut their losses.

How do you protect yourself from this scam? Here’s what to do:

1. Clear Contract: Have a detailed contract that outlines the project scope, deliverables, payment terms, and the number of revisions included.
2. Detailed Brief: Get a very detailed brief from the client before starting work. Ensure you understand their expectations and requirements.
3. Communication: Maintain clear and open communication with the client throughout the project.
4. Red Flags: Be wary of clients who are vague, constantly changing their requirements, or demanding unrealistic levels of perfection.
5. Track Your Time: Keep a detailed record of the time you spend on the project, including revisions. TogglTrack, for the win!
6. Payment Milestones: Break the project into smaller milestones with payments due upon completion of each milestone.
7. Walk Away: Be prepared to walk away from the project if you suspect you are being scammed. Your time and energy are valuable.

3. The Derivative Work

With this scam, the client refuses to pay for the work, oftentimes citing some kind of quality standard or simple lack of need, and then promises not to post the work. However, sometime later, a very similar work to the original will appear on the site. It can be as vague as a piece that uses the original research from the original content to a blatant poor rewrite of the piece.

What happened is that the client didn’t pay for the original work but, instead, paid someone else to do a rewrite of it, which is much cheaper. Since many freelance writers won’t even notice if a shoddy rewrite appears on their site, it’s a way for them to use the work they didn’t pay for with much less risk.

How it Works:

1. Freelancer Submits Work: The freelancer completes and submits the content as agreed.
2. Rejection and Non-Payment: The client rejects the work, claiming it’s not up to standard or no longer needed, and refuses to pay. They typically assure the freelancer that the content will not be used.
3. Derivative Work Appears: Later, the client publishes content on their site that closely resembles the freelancer’s original work. This could be:
   • A slightly rewritten version of the original.
   • Content that uses the same research, data, or key arguments as the original.
   • A blatant, poorly executed rewrite that clearly draws from the freelancer’s initial submission.
4. Exploitation: The client benefits from the freelancer’s work (either directly or indirectly) while avoiding payment. Since many freelancers don’t monitor their clients’ sites for stolen work, the client minimizes the risk of being caught.

For example…

• You are commissioned to create an article on “The Benefits of Remote Work.”
• The client rejects the article, stating it’s not suitable for their audience.
• A few weeks later, the client publishes an article titled “Unlocking Productivity: The Advantages of Working Remotely.” While the phrasing is different, the article covers the same key points, uses similar statistics, and follows the same structure as your piece.

In short, this scam is a form of content theft disguised as a rejection, where the client profits from the freelancer’s intellectual property without proper compensation.

One way to avoid this is to watermark your work. Before submitting the full, final version, provide a watermarked draft to the client for review. This makes the content unusable without payment. If they refuse to pay for the final, you still have the original, usable work, and they have a watermarked version that is much harder to profit from.

4. The Modified Terms

In a scam that’s especially common with jobs that don’t have a complete and signed contract, some clients have been known to change the terms of the deal unilaterally, often without notifying the writer at all.

For example, if you agreed to have your work posted but only with attribution, the client may decide to simply remove the attribution line or make you a complete ghostwriter. Similarly, the client may remove the link to your site, and modify any other terms that you had agreed upon.

To be clear, these clients usually pay, but they secure better rates by offering more favorable terms for the writing and then altering those terms whenever the work goes online. This makes it a less-than-complete scam but still a frustrating problem for freelance writers.

5. Can’t Get the Money

This scam involves a client claiming to pay a freelancer using an unfamiliar and potentially fraudulent payment processor. This tactic is often employed by clients, particularly those supposedly based overseas, who insist on using platforms the freelancer hasn’t encountered before.

The supposed rationale is often that the payment processor is “native” to their country or region. However, the true intention is either to avoid payment altogether or to expose the freelancer to further fraudulent activities.

How it Works:

1. Agreement and Completion: The freelancer and client agree on terms, and the freelancer completes the work.
2. Payment Offered via Unknown Processor: The client insists on using a payment processor that is obscure, untested, or has a questionable reputation. They may claim it’s the only way they can send funds internationally.
3. Access Barriers or Security Risks: The freelancer faces one of two undesirable outcomes:
   • Inability to Use the Processor: The processor may not be compatible with the freelancer’s bank or payment systems, or it may require excessive verification steps that are impossible to complete.
   • Security Risks: Using the processor could expose the freelancer to financial risks, such as potential bank account misuse, identity theft, or phishing attacks.
4. Client Blames the Freelancer: The client uses the payment issue as an excuse to withdraw the payment authorization (if it ever existed) and blames the freelancer for the failed transaction, claiming it’s the freelancer’s fault for not being able to accept the payment.

The client avoids paying the freelancer by creating artificial barriers to payment through a fraudulent or unusable payment system, shifting the blame to the freelancer for the failed transaction. This can also be a phishing attempt to gain access to banking information.

To avoid falling for this scam, do the following:

• Stick to Established Platforms: Insist on using reputable and well-known payment processors like PayPal, Wise (formerly TransferWise), Payoneer, or direct bank transfers.
• Research the Processor: If a client insists on an unfamiliar processor, thoroughly research it online. Look for reviews, security certifications, and any reports of fraudulent activity. Use a reverse image search of their logo.
• Trust Your Instincts: If something feels off or too complicated, it probably is.
• Payment Upfront or Milestones: Request a partial payment upfront or break the project into milestones with payments due upon completion of each stage.
• Beware of Excessive Information Requests: Be wary of any payment processor that requires an excessive amount of personal or financial information, especially sensitive details like passport scans or bank statements.
• Verify Client Location: Use online tools to verify the client’s claimed location and contact information.
• Reverse Image Search: Perform a reverse image search on the images on the client’s profile.
• Report Suspicious Activity: Report any suspicious activity to the freelance platform you’re using and to relevant authorities.
• Utilize Escrow Services (If Available): Consider using escrow services where the client deposits the funds with a third party, and the funds are released to you once the work is approved.

Bottom Line

To be clear, these scams can and do happen to just about anyone. There’s no shame in being ripped off by a bad client, and even with proper precautions, there sometimes just isn’t anything that you can do.

After all, with these types of scams, the best protection is to avoid them completely, and though it’s not possible to completely avoid them, there are definitely ways you can limit the risk of becoming a sucker.

Your Questions

Have a question about the law and freelance writing? Either leave a comment below or contact me directly if you wish to keep the information private (However, please mention that it is a suggestion for Freelance Writing Jobs). This column will be determined largely by your suggestions and questions, so let me know what you want to know about.

Disclosure

I am not an attorney, and nothing in this article should be taken as legal advice.

First published in February 2011; updated February 2025