Is this a scam? (video request)

[josh_hobbs]

I have 2 active Fiverr gigs, offering voiceovers. There have been a few times now that somebody has reached out to me, asking if I can record some video clips for them. I have plenty of video production experience, so this isn’t a problem, but it is a little suspicious. Each time so far, I have declined for one reason or another, but I want to do some more digging with a current offer.

A woman has reached out explaining she’d like to get into producing, and is very amateur. As such, she explained that this video will just be for practice, won’t be made public, video quality doesn’t matter, nor does acting ability. However, she still said that she has a budget of $115 for the 10-12 minutes of footage she’d like me to record. Her profile says she’s from America and her “local time” matches up with that claim. So, all in all, seems legit, easy cash.

Here’s where things are a bit fishy. Her profile was only just created, Feb 2021 (it’s only Feb 11th, so it wouldn’t surprise me if it was made today). That’s fine, a buyer has to create a profile sometime. However, like I said, I have no acting or video work gigs, nor have I ever had an active acting or video work gig. She also explained that she needed some sample work to ensure I could do the job, so I referred her to my YouTube channel and also asked why she decided to reach out to me where I don’t have a relevant gig. She explained that I have the look she wants and she loves my videos (I only just sent her my YouTube channel, it’s a very, very small channel, so I doubt she’d seen it before). She also explained that she’d still need a sample recording of me doing the the first scene for her project so she knew I could do it. That’s just odd to me where neither quality nor acting skills mattered initially.

Where this is the 3rd or 4th time I’ve received an offer like this one, and has some fishiness, I just wanted to see if there is a scam that this sounds like? I don’t know in what way I could be scammed here unless this individual just wanted the first scene for free and doesn’t need the other clips they’d be hiring me for. The only other thing I could think of is if she were to maliciously use my likeness from the videos or request an advance to ensure payment, but Fiverr makes the latter not an issue…

Is this suspicious or am I just overthinking?

[enunciator]

It is absolutely suspicious. I’ve been approached by a similar type of buyer. She was listed as being a top rated buyer and had numerous reviews on her profile. She wanted a series of videos but first wanted a sample that seemed innocuous enough, but refused to go into further details on what the other videos required to be done.

Long story short, this buyer catered to fetish videos but tried to keep such details hidden for the entire discussion, and once I called her out for her questionable request, she immediately blocked me. Her profile was shortly after deleted from the site. She likely was trying to get free fetish videos from other sellers and claiming them as “free samples” as well.

[josh_hobbs]

It is absolutely suspicious. I’ve been approached by a similar type of buyer. She was listed as being a top rated buyer and had numerous reviews on her profile. She wanted a series of videos but first wanted a sample that seemed innocuous enough, but refused to go into further details on what the other videos required to be done.

Long story short, this buyer catered to fetish videos but tried to keep such details hidden for the entire discussion, and once I called her out for her questionable request, she immediately blocked me. Her profile was shortly after deleted from the site. She likely was trying to get free fetish videos from other sellers and claiming them as “free samples” as well.

Shoot, that’s pretty crazy! Well thank you for your reply, it’s definitely good to have validation for my suspicions, haha!

[english_voice]

If you think it’s a scam it probably is. Based on what you’ve said, I would agree.

Think about it. Someone wants to pay you $115 for a service you haven’t advertised, where quality doesn’t matter - and yet they still want a sample recording?

The chances are the ‘sample’ bit is all they want. The promise of $115 is just bait.

EDIT: I meant to add that most scammers succeed by appealing to a person’s greed and by flattering them. Your story has all the hallmarks of this.

[invaderroxas]

Anyone who insists on the seller providing a sample before payment is suspicious. There’s no guarantee they aren’t trying to scam you into giving the content they need, only for them to disappear when it comes time to place the order. To a credible buyer, your portfolio should be more than enough to prove you can do the job they’re looking for.

[psykkopatte]

If she really wants a sample then you have showed your portfolio, this might be, maybe not a scam but someone trying to get a work for free, I have got the exact same situation but I always refuse to make samples to “see if I’m able to make what they are looking for” since I know to do my job and use my creativity.

[imagination7413]

In addition to the above:
. Top 5 Tips to Protect Yourself from Badly Behaved Buyers
. Stand Your Ground: Setting Boundaries as a Seller