6 Red Flags To Look For When Applying To Work From Home Positions
There are so many scammers online, and when you are just starting out if you’re anything like I was, you are applying to job postings like crazy to be able to work from home. It can be easy to apply to a scam.
Today we're going to talk about something super important that I wish I had known when I first started out as a freelancer. I want to share with you, six red flags when you are placing bids or applying to work-from-home jobs.
Now, these red flags are immediate scams, in my opinion. I had my fair share of scams when I first began as a freelancer, and I have fallen victim to some of these. Let’s dive in!
Red Flag #1: They offer you equipment
When you are applying for a position and they offer you any sort of equipment, they are not going to send you a laptop, they are not going to send you an iPad, I have applied for positions before where they're like oh, we're gonna send you a phone, we're gonna send you this and that and come to find out it was a scam. Nobody, unless you're an employee, nobody is going to send a contractor, a 1099, a freelancer, a virtual assistant, or whatever you're calling yourself equipment to get a job done. You should already have the equipment.
Red Flag #2: They ask for your banking information
Scammers say that they need your bank account and routing number to pay you. That’s a lie. They are immediately going to swipe your money and they are going to run. Clients do not need your banking information to pay you.
All freelancers need to do is send clients a PayPal invoice or Stripe invoice. So please do not ever give anybody your bank account and your bank routing number. That is just that is a recipe for disaster. I do know people that have done that before, and it took a very long time to get everything changed over, and they did not see their money ever again.
Red Flag #3: Poor spelling or writing in incomplete sentences
Number three is poor spelling or poor English. Usually, when you are replying to a job posting or a bid, most of the time, people are going to proofread what they're putting out there. It sets the tone for their business and the quality of their business.
They're going to read what they wrote. Now scammers, in my experience, tend to have poor grammar and poor English. They switch and flip-flop words, sentences don't make sense, or sentences are on running. That, for me, is a red flag.
When I first started, I had a client who spoke very heavy Italian. So her grammar and her spelling were not perfect. But part of my job as her Freelancer was to proofread her work, proofread the emails, and proofread any of the marketing and advertising stuff that she sent out. So if proofreading is part of the job, it's okay.
Red Flag #4: They won’t get on a discovery call with you
If you are trying to get a new client, you're trying to make that connection, you're trying to build that trust, and they won't get on a discovery call with you…it's usually a red flag. No serious entrepreneur is too busy to get on a 15-minute call that could better their business!
Red Flag #5: They want you to deposit cash into a bank account for them
If they want you to deposit an amount into a bank account in order to begin paying you - RUN. I have seen it so many times. You do not need to deposit any money of any amount into an account, whether it be in the US or overseas, in order for you to get paid. No, ma'am. We do not do that. I don't care if it's five cents. That is a red flag, that is a scammer, and you are about to get scammed. Please do not deposit any money into any bank accounts. That is a recipe for disaster.
Red Flag #6: They ask you for personal information
This kind of coincides with the last one. They're asking you for personal information. No client of yours needs your personal information. Even if you're a 1099 and you are not a legal business entity, you at the end of the year are going to be sending them a W-9. If you get that far with a client, by that time, you should know if you are being scammed or not!
When you first meet somebody, and you're going through the process of chatting and getting to know one another, please do not give them any personal information. They don't even need your cell phone number. Not all of my clients have my cell phone number.
These are all red flags in my book, I have fallen to some of these and to some of them I knew better. I want you to know if you have fallen victim to a scammer before, you should not be ashamed or embarrassed. It has happened to every freelancer. I am telling you, in the beginning, I get it. You want clients so badly. You want to be home with your babies so bad that you're willing to apply to a million jobs, and you don't even read all the descriptions and all of the details. I get it; I have been there.
But when you get yourself wrapped up with one of these red flags, if you catch on and you begin saying no, no thank you, or you start ghosting them. They become very aggressive, and they flip on you. They become very mean. I have had students get harassed before for falling for red flags.
So before you start applying to positions, look for these red flags. But most importantly, follow your gut. Listen to your intuition. If you get that feeling that this might be a scam, chances are it's a scam. Chances are it's not a real person, or it is a real person somewhere in a cave, trying to take all your money. So please just trust yourself. Listen to yourself. You've got this.
Find me on Instagram @dalainamarkayknight, and let’s chat! I want to know what red flags you have encountered, or I would love to know your scammer stories. Have you been scammed before? How did it go? Send me a message.
I am so honored to join you and help you on your work-from-home mom journey. Whether you're brand new or you're ready to scale, I can help you with both visit www.dalainaknight.com for more information.
