Beware of Fraudsters in Freelancing

Ever since the Internet has came up with its potential in business, freelancing is on the rage but then one must beware of fraudsters in freelancing. There are many buyers, like mahamaya on freelancer.com, who cunningly ask for a sample from the providers without paying a single penny and then submit genuine piece of work to the client from who she has won the project! 

Actually, it is the fault of genuine providers who get trapped by fraudsters in freelancing. The providers always fall for good budget and cost per article and this is what, freelance fraudsters like mahamaya on getafreelancer.com knows. Whopping budget and great price per article makes the providers thinking positively and they provide sample without a doubt. Of course, there is nothing wrong providing a genuine fresh written sample but then, one sample from each provider and 20 such providers bidding on high budget posted by fraudster like mahamaya on freelance.com makes 20 articles READY to submit to the original client!  

The providers must understand this foxy idea of the buyer like mahamaya and stop providing a sample article. A wise provider should not get mesmerized with wordings of the buyer that says that sample will be paid. Initially these buyers build their reviews by paying off writers but only on initial stage. They do this to build their credit first and then start a dirty game. 

How to get rid of it?

The buyers like Mahamaya on freelancer.com can be tackled in a wiser way! You, as a provider, must have your blog or any webpage that displays your name. When asked for a sample, do not provide the article on the private message but then, post it on your blog as it will speak the date and time. Tell the buyer that if she likes, she can use the piece of article and once you are paid, you will delete it from your personal blog. 

In this way, if mahamaya like fraudster does not pay you, you don't bother as the blog is already published onto your blogging site and on the other hand, genuine buyers will like your style and will pay you. You can then delete the post from your blog!

Mahamaya on Freelancer.com or GetAFreelancer.com

To start with, Mahamaya is the user id on Freelancer.com previously known as GetAFreelancer.com. Mahamaya is the buyer and also provider from India who wisely tackles his/her projects without writing any article and on the other hand, outsourcing them without spending a single penny! The Mahamaya's profile can be viewed here - https://www.freelancer.com/users/654468.html

Here is how Mahamaya works: As a provider, the user wins the projects and then starts the game. Since the provider is also the buyer, Freelancer.com allows him/her to post projects for choosing writers or freelance providers. Step by step, we can judge the game played by Mahamaya on Freelancer.com...

Step 1: Mahamaya wins the project as the provider

Step 2: Very next day, Mahamaya posts the project with different title that does not relate or give hint of the project won.

Step 3: Mahamaya typically writes formatted description on the project telling the providers that they should not worry about payment as she/he has good reviews (actually initially, to build reputation, the user has worked hard to get certain reviews that later can be used as a gimmick!)

Step 4: Mahamaya asks everyone to produce a sample that will be paid as said by him/her.

Step 5: Every writer looking it as potential project provides the sample that is actually "a well written article for the project Mahamaya has won!".

Step 6: Each provider (writer) produces genuine article as a sample that in turn serves as 'completed project' for Mahamaya to submit to the buyer's project that he/she is chosen as a winner of.

Step 7: After receiving all articles as sample from writers, the project is CANCELED!

Example:

 

1. Project Won by Mahamaya ($6 an article): https://www.freelancer.com/projects/Internet-Marketing-SEO/Need-iPhone-SEO-Articles-Written.html (Step 1)

2. Project immediately posted by Mahamaya ($4 an article): http://www.freelancer.com/projects/Copywriting-Proofreading/Need-Writers-Urgently-per-article.html (Step 2 and 3)

3. Private Message posted by Mahamaya to the writer (Step 4): To consider you for this job, i want you to write an article related to iPhone battery replacement 3Gs. The article has to make use of the keyword "iPhone Battery Replacement 3Gs " 7 times in the article body and once in the title.
The article need to contain at least 600 words in the body (excluding the title). If your work is good, i will pay right away for the job done and will select you for this project.

Similar exercise is given to other bidders. So sooner you provide this article, better are your chances of bagging the project.

4. The writer produces a genuine article and waits for the response or payment for the sample article: http://ayurvedadosha.com/miscellaneous-content/iphone-battery-replacement-3g-%E2%80%93something-that-you-must-know

5. The writer asks whether the sample is accepted?: private message in Freelance.com - No feedback till now? I thought it's really urgent and acted accordingly.

6. The reply from Mahamaya: Don't get excited. I have received more bids than i expected. I need to give everybody a fair chance.

7. The sample article was ACTUALLY a part of project won by Mahamaya - http://www.iphonebatteryrepair.com/iPhone-Battery-Replacement-3g-s/144.htm (Step 6 and 7). The sample was never paid, neither mahamaya revert to the messages on Freelancer.com

Note: Perfectly suitable id the user has kept: Mahamaya (In Hindi, it means Great Gambler!)