This done-for-you template can help you avoid freelance scams

It just helped me avoid another freelance trap

Author

Diana Kelly Levey
May 28, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

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It’s not even June and I’ve almost been the victim of TWO freelance scams.

We’re all susceptible to online scams, phone call scams, texting scams (NO, you don’t have my package at UPS), email scams and yes, freelance scams.

Since I almost got taken by a freelance scam earlier this year — this newsletter post gets into that, check it out if you missed it, so you don’t fall for that one — and now another scammer is knocking at my digital door.

The problem is, after you’ve been almost scammed, you treat everyone who comes at you via cold email like they’re trying to take you for something.

(And then even later, when you turn in some work for them, there’s that fear they won’t pay you that seems to NEVER completely go away even after 20 years of freelancing.)

So, what’s a freelancer to do?

First, try to search for the person’s name, email address, phone number, and image and add “+ scam.”

See what comes up. Hopefully nothing.

Then, reply to them and try to get more information.

I send back a friendly note, usually letting them know that I’m not available to take on another new client for a few weeks, and ask that they kindly fill out my Freelance Client Intake form first.

(A superquick turnaround can be a red flag freelance client or a scam.)

What’s in the form?

Questions that ask basically, “Are you the decisionmaker?” “Is this a one-off project?” “When do you want to have it completed?” and OF COURSE, “What’s your budget?”

(Oftentimes, clients don't 100% know their budgets but you can get a ballpark range and say it in a friendly way so you know whether you’re working with Champagne dreams on a Coors budget. I’ll show you how to do that here.)

This freelance guide is simple, straightforward and it DOES the job of screening out clients too lazy to fill it out.

If they’re just looking for freelancers to scam and blasting a bunch of freelance writers, usually, they won’t fill it out completely.

I also include my “minimum project rate to get started,” which ALSO helps me weed out clients who don’t have budgets that align with mine.

Those potential freelance clients who look at your starting budget range might decide not to fill it out, too. That’s okay. You don’t want to waste your time on calls with these clients since they aren’t your IDEAL freelance clients.

Check out this freelance client questionnaire that I always send to potential scammers and any new clients who come my way, especially if they haven’t been referred by someone I know.

Diana

P.S. Missed last week’s newsletter or a recent post? Check them out here.

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Short on time with the Holiday Week in the States.

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