Can buyers scam the sellers in any way?

[lmwells]

I do not want to risk someone ending up robbing me of my services

[fastcopywriter]

Remove the Amazon copyrighted image before you get in trouble, and remove the word Amazon from the listing as well. Or Fiverr will remove your listing.



Other than that, yes, buyers can screw you. They can demand revisions to get more work from you, they can demand cancellations and keep the work you did. You never know if they’re scamming you or not, but it’s a risk we all take here, specially writers although artists can be screwed as well.



However, this is the exception, not the rule. Most buyers have integrity and don’t want to get something for nothing. Some even feel guilty about demanding a cancellation, but then write a nasty review. That to me is worse than a cancellation.

[accessgirl]

It can happen, and it goes both ways. You may want to take some steps to protect yourself, but nothing is guaranteed as you can get scammed from anyone, anywhere.



Things I do to prevent being scammed (definitely not required, but it helps, and I’m sure others will chime in):



Build a rapport with the buyer and keep in good communication (most of the time you can weed out scammers or people who are looking to get something for nothing)



Don’t ask or give out any personal information, email, paypal, etc… and don’t complete any requests outside of fiverr



If you are doing anything as far as art, design or something of that nature, watermark your samples



Never start working until the buyer has made a purchase and do not do any work for free unless you want to



That’s all I can think of for now. like fastcopywriter said “this is the exception, not the rule.” , I have yet to be scammed, but have seen others who have been.

[thepromogirl]

fastcopywriter said: they can demand cancellations and keep the work you did

 

They actually can't. Buyers can't keep work that didn't pay for. It's written right in the Terms of Service. Buyers only get legal rights to what they paid for, if a buyer cancelled the content you created is yours.

 

If you do find a buyer content something that they didn't pay for (ie. you delivered work, but they cancelled) you can report them and file Copyright claim here on Fiverr and any other placed where the material is for that matter -like Google or YouTube. There are similar threads on similar issues: http://forum.fiverr.com/discussion/27417/buyers-asking-for-re-dos-or-cancellations-stop-and-read-this-first-/p1

 

Just be sure to provide screenshots, links, etc. as proof when reporting it to Customer Service. Copyright claims are taken very seriously because if the website the content doesn't take it down they themselves are at risk at being sued - so takedowns happen rather quickly.

 

Stuff happens, but you're educating yourself so you're on the right track! Good luck! :)

 

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[sniktbiff]

Also, if you are an artist, you can actually search google images by the image itself. It makes it much easier to find your ripped work and screenshot your proof.

[topaz_muse]

Reply to @sniktbiff: Didn’t know you could do that. Wish this was known back in the day when I first started with illustrated work.

[lmwells]

Reply to @fastcopywriter: what can I say instead?

Thanks

[fastcopywriter]

Reply to @lmwells: I will write a Book Review for $5

I will publish a Book Review in 3-Days for $5

etc.



Then when buyers write asking if you can review their books on Amazon or Barnes & Noble, you can let them know.

[fastcopywriter]

Reply to @thepromogirl: Good advice, but what are the chances I will find my buyers outside of Fiverr? A lot of them don’t even give me their websites, some might be doing Facebook ads and I know I’m not their target audience.



And some things are hard to prove. Example, you want a brand name for a Craigslist-type of company offering activities for men and women, I give you Brobelle.com, you hate it, the order is cancelled. Then a few days later I go on GoDaddy and see that name is no longer available. How do I know the buyer stole it or someone else had the same idea?



Frankly, I’d rather concentrate on my orders and not on chasing buyers that didn’t pay me.

[fastcopywriter]

Reply to @sniktbiff: True, but images are often renamed so if you give me “BrickWall.jpg” and I rename it to “RedWall.png,” you’ll never find me.

[fonthaunt]

Reply to @fastcopywriter: I think he might be talking about reverse image search like Google images has where you can literally upload the image itself or a link to it. It doesn’t search by name, but by some kind of pattern matching.



However, that alone definitely would not stop theft even so.

[emasonwrites]

My only tip to add to what others have said is to be really, really nice to your buyers. It probably doesn’t work even 50% of the time, but it’s my personal belief that at least some of the more scrupulous scammers will pass you over if you’re prompt, polite, and professional in your presentation.



Oh, and also, use your gig description and instruction areas to make it very clear what you will and will not do. You’ll develop your own as you go, as people try to make you do things that are outside of what your gig offers.

[renflowergrapx]

Helpfull post!