March 29, 2009
Writers Beware: Scam Artists & the Internet
Professional writers understand that writing is a craft, a skill that requires nurturing and continuous education beyond the classroom’s door. Unfortunately, with the advent of the internet, professional writers are increasingly seeing their skills, especially in the online marketplace, diminished in the eyes of some. Professional writers have been called typists and glorified secretaries, among other not-so-flattering names, by those who want high quality work for pennies.
Companies like Elance.com and so-called internet “gurus” have helped push the value of a professional writer’s work way down in the online marketplace. Elance.com is ripe with calls for cheap labor (it’s gotten so bad that there are job posts requesting 500 word articles that are researched and professionally written for a whole FIFTY CENTS) while some internet “gurus” encourage their followers to pay only pennies a word, if that, for writing from a professional.
It is that kind of prevailing attitude that is turning the internet into a hotbed for scams, making it essential for professional writers to navigate the waters of the internet and online writing opportunities very carefully. Several days ago, I was on a writer’s forum, and I read a post from a writer warning other writers about the latest scam: Scrupulous “entrepreneurs” (calling them entrepreneurs is an insult to real entrepreneurs who want to build their businesses ethically and honestly) are posting job ads online – most notably on Craig’s List – asking for resumes and writing samples from professional writers in exchange for consideration for a writing gig.
The “entrepreneur” then takes the writing samples, adds his name to it, and publishes it on Web sites like Associated Content, where he is paid a small upfront fee and makes residuals based on page views. Basically, these so-called entrepreneurs are stealing content (which is against copyright law) from writers and using it as their own.
The problem is nothing new, and it’s only going to get worse as long as companies and so-called internet gurus perpetuate the idea that professional writing (editing, transcribing, marketing, Web design – you name it) can be had for next to nothing.
What you can do to protect yourself against scam artists:
- Carefully research each potential client. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.
- Be careful to whom you send writing samples.
- Always have a contract that includes full contact information for the client, including mailing address, phone number, and email address, before you begin work.
- Always get a deposit. Unfortunately, there are scammers out there who, if you don’t get your money upfront, will take your work and run with it, never to pay you.
- Avoid working with a client who writes “this is an easy job for someone who knows what they are doing” or something along those lines. The line has spread like wildfire on the internet. A so-called internet marketing guru has convinced others that, if they really want to get professional writing and other services at dirt cheap prices, they simply have to use that line.Think about it. Would you say that to your doctor? Your lawyer? Well, it’s an easy job because you know what you’re doing, so I’m not going to pay you what you’re worth. Like that’s going to fly, right?
- Avoid working with those who state something like “heck, you’ll even get a free education” from working on the project. It’s just another line some advocate and really believe will help them find cheap work.
- Keep copies of ALL communication at least until you are paid in full for your work. (I tend to keep mine longer.)
- Don’t let them get away with it. If you have been scammed, take action. It doesn’t have to cost you anything. Two summers ago, I naively accepted a writing gig and didn’t ask for money upfront. I did the work, and the guy disappeared. A few months later, I went on Copyscape and looked for my articles. What did I find? He was using them – on his own Web site and in article directories. I made screenshots of my word documents, showing when I had written the articles, made screenshots of each email exchange we had (in which I made it clear that I owned copyright and he could not use the work until he paid in full), and sent it to both his Web host and the article directories. Within 24 hours, he had been shut down.
- Keep in mind that scammers aren’t just on the internet. There are people offline who will also just disappear when it’s time for payment. I had the same thing happen when writing for a regional magazine – a magazine that was even connected with their city government. I didn’t ask for a deposit because I had been paid promptly the times I had previously worked with the publisher. After months, she paid me. The check bounced. After that, she disappeared. Even the city government I contacted, after responding at first, ignored me. I still have all of the correspondence that proves I am owed the money, money I will never see.
The moral of the story? Be careful. Protect yourself as a writer. The fact is most people who provide services – whether writing or Web design – for dirt cheap are going to provide subpar work. We are professionals, and we deserve to be paid for our work.
