cheating clientsThere are so many things that can be said here. No matter how much I will write in this article, it is a guarantee that I will forget so many things that can be mentioned. Unfortunately, just as there are some freelancers that try to take advantage of clients, there are various clients that try to take advantage of freelancers. The basic principle is usually simple:

Cheating clients either want to pay less for the work done or want to get work done for free!

Other things can be mentioned but there are some things that do keep coming up. I will try to offer some advice for freelancers so that they can avoid as many cheating clients as possible.

1. The Contract

Always have some sort of contract when you first work with a person. It is recommended to have a time based contract when working with freelancing sites like ODesk but you can also work with fixed contracts. However, I always set up an agreement with some sort of payment schedule that needs to be respected. I have no problems with minor delays when I already have a relationship with the client. If it is a new client and the payment schedule is not respected, it is obvious that work needs to be stopped.

  • Example of payment schedule: if there are 100 articles to be written, payment done at every 20 articles.
  • Example 2: for a big project, 20% up front, 50% at the middle of the project and 30% on completion.
  • Example 3: for a website design, 20% when the main frame is made, 50% when most of the pages are done, the rest when the coding is complete.

You can set up your own payment plan and can negotiate. A serious client will be open to negotiations.

2. Avoid The “If I See That” Clause

This is one that is quite common with content writers. When you see that the deal  you agree with includes something like “If I find that an article is of inferior quality, I have the right to reject it without explanation!” This one screams out scam. You can expect to work with these clients perfectly in the beginning but afterwards, you will most likely end up doing some free work.

If you find yourself in a situation in which the client says that he reject the article, quickly publish it somewhere, on a site. It does not actually matter where. If you do that, the article will be totally useless as when the client uses it, the search engines will see that as duplicate content. You at least get to improve your portfolio, which is always great.

3. Use Your Common Sense!

If you feel that the client has weird wishes, avoid him/her. There is no shortage of clients out there and if you are patient, you will surely find a job. If the client wants you to do a lot of work and will only pay at the end, it is a definite NO NO. Do not agree to something like this. You have no certainty that you will get paid, unless the contract is time based and you do it through a job board.

Clients that want to cheat people will always look for those that are beginners. They know that the thirst for money will make people easier to cheat. As a general rule of thumb, please follow these rules:

  • Never work with a client that does not have a good work history on job boards!
  • Never work outside a job board that has ratings when you start out!
  • For big projects, ask for a percentage in advance!
  • Do not accept a job simply because you need money desperately! Make sure that the deal is a good one for you!
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