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Girl Gone Travel

Public Relations & Branding
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January 16, 2019

Avoiding freelancing scams

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Over the past couple of the days several posts are going around about Instagrammers getting scammed with an offer to do a photo shoot in Asia, kicking off in Jakarta where the scam comes to a head in every instance.

You can read a couple of those experiences here, here, and further summarized here.

Below, I wanted to add a few more things that I have learned along the way that has protected me from really unfortunate situations, noting that even what isn’t traditionally considered a scam, but is not a situation favorable to you, can feel like a huge loss if you don’t protect and educate yourself.

The danger of being hungry for work

I want to start by strongly stating that I don’t think that any of these situations is the fault of the victim or victims caught up in them.

I do know that one of the things that scammers heavily rely on in order for their scams to work is hunger and as freelancers, we are all susceptible to this. Whether it is actual hunger due to low funds, or a long stretch of no work, or whether it is the hunger for that big break that could potentially propel your career.

I have agreed to what I know have been crappy deals out of the sheer hunger of wanting to be affiliated with a large brand or be a part of what I convinced myself would be a great opportunity. It very rarely yield successful results. Taken risks is a part of business, but the motivation should also matter. And hunger is rarely a good one.

This why patience is so very important and shouldn’t be viewed as a luxury, even in a competitive, over saturated, freelancing world.

When what seems like a wonderful opportunity comes your way, make sure to take a deep breath, step back from it, and give it some time to process. A red flag is when someone you are unfamiliar with starts pressuring you with a tight deadline, and a need for an immediate reply. Even if the ask is legit, I always worry that the lack of organization and last-minute request is a sign to how the rest of the project will go. It is impossible to guard yourself, and your business from mishaps when not allowed time to at least consult with someone or do some research. 

Talk to your community of freelancers

There is this perception that we can’t openly talk about issues that impact our business and things we have on our plate, whether they be projects, issues with clients, or even negotiation questions we may have. This is why our industry is so susceptible to not only scammers, but to inconsistent rates for services and abusive practices.

Photo by Kristina Flour

We have to learn to talk to each other. We have to be willing to share our knowledge, and do it freely. I agree that we should get paid for teaching others, our intellectual property has worth, and I agree that having people bombard you with “I want to pick your brain” messages is extremely inconsiderate, rude, and annoying, but not every opportunity is one to make money from, and we have to balance what we can share for the betterment of our industry. Don’t make the only opportunity people have to learn from you come from an overpriced retreat or an annual blogger conference. Learn to give back some. Doing so helps add fluidity, accountability, and consistency to our industry, and provides guidance, education, and confidence to the creatives in our space.

Sure, we are often competing with each other for work, and no one is expected to show their business strategies, we don’t even have to disclose client names, but we also don’t have to be so protective that we can’t share ideas about the negotiating process and fair, realistic, and honest fee structures, or contractual standards that we could ALL benefit in learning from. And if we do encounter a crappy client who doesn’t pay, or treats us like garbage, or tries to scam us, we need to be open about that too, and we need to learn to vet our potential clients just as aggressively as the BEST clients I have ever worked with have vetted me.

Because it doesn’t matter whether you are a celebrity Instagrammer or a newbie, we can’t protect and improve our industry as a whole – and in the process, the way we do business, if we are overly protective of the skills and tools needed to get us to a better place.

Don’t make the only opportunity people have to learn from you come from an overpriced retreat or an annual blogger conference.

There is no such thing as too many questions

In both these situations linked above, there were so many opportunities to ask more questions. The scammer at one point stated that they were referred to the Instagrammer by someone at a high-profile travel publication. Patience would have insisted on asking who, and then would have persuaded them to call said publication to verify that in fact there was someone by that name, and more importantly, that they have been referred. 

Traditionally, legitimate referrals are never vague. “Someone” from so and so. Or a “contact” at this and that. People who refer you don’t do so expecting anonymity. Often times the person referring you will give you a head’s up that they will be doing so, and even when they don’t, you are familiar enough with the person referring you that it is easy to contact them and either thank them for the referral (which I always do) or ask them if they in fact know the person, and ask them for more background information on the company or individual that they referred you to.

Up-fronting costs is a hard NO

I have only been asked 4 times in my 10 years of blogging to upfront the costs for a travel assignment, and have only done so twice because I had a long, extensive working relationship with both companies whom I agreed to do this with. Traditional, lucrative newspapers and magazines might sometimes agree to reimburse their writers for expenses on assignments or stories they have agreed to pick up, and even then those deals leave the writer with less money in their pocket than what they put out because at the end of the day, the editor will determine what they consider is an acceptable reimbursement rate, if any. This should be discussed, disclosed, and contractually agreed upon pre-assignment. All costs should be deducted from your charged fee, because to be honest it is a loss for you until you actually get reimbursed which depending on some companies can be anything crazy like 30, 60, and even 90 days – if not more. Up-fronting costs is a really crappy arrangement, and I rarely take on assignments where the client can’t take on my expenses, like flight, hotel, permits, tour costs, and food from the get. It’s just an unsustainable business strategy, and those who can afford to do this on a regular basis are often in a better financial footing than others – which is why media is such a privileged industry, lacking in socio-economic and racial diversity, but I digress.

Photo by Artem Bali 

Be careful with banking information

As crappy as that arrangement is, nothing is more unacceptable than requiring the writer or photographer upfront the costs to be paid to another person or stranger. Often times, a photographer might be paying certain costs associated to a specific location, or a set of needs, but even more often these fees are researched ahead of time and incorporated in the fee to the client, and are part of the deposit request that should come with more independently led projects. But never, ever do you send an individual or stranger your banking information or money. At some point you will have to submit tax related paperwork, and if direct deposit is involved, your bank information. Which is why researching and heavily vetting is an absolute must. Never, ever accept payment in money order, cashiers check, or personal check. Always allot sufficient time for any checks to clear fully in the bank  – i.e. funds are fully released into your account – before spending or taking on any personal costs. This article by the Better Business Bureau details the many ways in which scammers use fake checks to steal your money.

Trust your gut…or at least the evidence before you

As someone who works regularly on the public relations side and is constantly watching the space for talent to work with, I rely a lot on a few things that extent beyond the craft or even the quality of the work. I reach out to other professionals in the space and inquire about their experience in working with a certain influencer. I talk to a lot of people in the space and ask about what their personal experiences have been with them – if they were on a press trip together, or are in a professional Facebook group together, or run in the same circles. I follow them and read on them and put myself in situations where I will casually meet them.

But one thing I always do is trust my gut and I have to say, good or bad, I have never been wrong. Sometimes it isn’t immediately clear to me, and most of the time I need to sit on it and wait to learn more, but if ever there is a “strong feeling” that maybe something is not right, or even that this could be the start of a beautiful relationship, I don’t ignore it, and I certainly do not push it aside and make important decisions without considering it.

Our wanting something so badly, whether it is an assignment or a relationship is often so strong that we ignore the one person we should trust the most – ourselves. 

The stories linked above were riddled with signs that things were not as they were supposed to be before any money was wasted. But, alas, we sometimes just hope for the best and risk it anyway.

There’s no such thing as a wasted opportunity as long as we walk away having learned something from it, and hopefully, every opportunity we get yields a lesson or two. If we’re lucky, it won’t cost us thousands of dollars in the process.

My heart goes out to the Instagrammers and anyone who has suffered at the hands of these scammers. I am grateful to them for sharing their stories, and I hope the insight I shared here further encourages others to be wiser, more patient, more trusting of themselves, and more willing to talk to their community and peers in the future. We are all in this together.

 

Header photo by Isai Ramos 

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

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2 Comments
  • Nina | Lemons and Luggage
    January 31, 2019

    Thank you so much for your insight on this! I am extremely suspicious these kind of things, but I understand why people really want to believe them. Let’s hope people start discussing this more seriously in the community (also different fees for men and women!).

    Reply
    • caincarol
      Nina | Lemons and Luggage
      February 8, 2019

      Ah, yes. The disproportionate amounts in which women and men, and minorities and non-minorities get paid is a while other post. And a real shame.

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons and 2 puppies. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

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If you are a foodie traveler, Madison, WI is a des If you are a foodie traveler, Madison, WI is a destination for you. This list of good eats were all within close proximity to each other and spots we made time for during our short weekend visit. So definitely note that this doesn’t even begin to cover the tip of the iceberg, but makes a good starter list!

📍@ShortStackEats in the heart of Downtown Madison is clearly a UW favorite. Loved their pancakes! We thought it was a pricey for breakfast, and only offered drip coffee, but the scene was fun, food was good, and service was friendly.
📍@SardineMadison is a waterfront French bistro that has stood the test of time (we’ve been coming here since we lived in Madison!). It can feel very corporate some nights, but their Happy Hour and brunch are definite highlights and it’s a really nice dining experience overall.
📍@EatattheAudrey impressed us! It’s not your usual “hotel restaurant” and I would say it easily stands alone as an eatery worth checking out in Madison. Great breakfast options, cozy vibes, nice bar, and good service!
📍@RamenStation1124 good, affordable ramen.
📍BlindShotSocialClub We really loved this spot for brunch (sorry, was enjoying the company and totally spaced out on capturing food images!). Golf fans will love hitting the putt here (you can reserve a private room too), and what I though was most cool was the delicious and wide selection of non-alcoholic cocktails to choose from. This place is a total vibe!
📍@StringsRamen is a chain, but I have to say it is some of the best ramen I have had in a long time. I especially loved how you can choose your ramen but heat level but also by Japanese region which allowed us to taste a couple of new flavors!
📍@Parthenongyros has been around awhile (hubby recalls coming here during his college years!) and was voted #1 take out in Madison! Though we indulged inside and away from the snow. A delicious, quick bite when strolling around State Street.

And again, this is just a starter list. There is so much more to eat and enjoy in this top foodie city! What other spots would you add to this list?

#madisonwi #foodiegram #foodiedestinations #goodeats @destinationmadison
I love to travel. It has always been important to I love to travel. It has always been important to my family. My parents got my first passport weeks after I was born. They couldn’t afford to travel like I do now, but they understood, as immigrants, the absolute privilege that comes attached to having that shiny blue American booklet and they wanted me to have it.

I was yet again reminded of my privilege when my travel back home on this last trip was delayed over 24 hours. I have a village in place to make sure my kids were ok. Having my own business meant I didn’t have to report in to anyone, and was still able to work remotely so none of my clients were inconvenienced by it. Though the airline covered our hotel and food, we never worried that we couldn’t do it ourselves otherwise. While we were annoyed, we weren’t stressed.

So while I love to travel, and I love sharing my travels with you, I acknowledge that being able to do so, and dealing with the consistent travel disruptions so prevalent today without worries is a privilege…one that started with a little blue booklet that gives me more access to the world than some others do.

And I want us all in this travel space to be reminded of this. Of how lucky we are. Of our privilege to access and time and money.

So let us travel with grace and awareness. Let us remain rooted in reality and perspective. Acknowledging that our escapism isn’t one so easily accessible to others. Understanding that this is also why local stories have as much value as those to exclusive destinations, if not more. And, never forgetting, especially in the travel influencer and media space, that were it not for hosted campaigns and paid-for travel opportunities, most of us wouldn’t be able to afford the lifestyle we so beautifully curate online.

It doesn’t matter how often you travel, or how far. Just that hopefully you will be able to gift yourself the experience of doing so and experiencing something new.

#travel #travelmedia #travelinfluencer #wheretonext
As I work on compiling all the good eats I experie As I work on compiling all the good eats I experienced in Madison, WI, I have to ask: what is your favorite meal of the day, and where did you experience a highlight of the same?

I am a huge fan of breakfast. This beauty was a blueberry pancake order from @shortstackeats. Pancakes are not a big thing for me, but these were pretty perfect. I am craving them still. 🥞♥️

#madisonwi #goodeats #travelingfoodie @destinationmadison
We got back on a plane! Here are scenes from a qui We got back on a plane! Here are scenes from a quick trip to Madison, WI - my first time back in 14 years! Though we were here for family matters, we did take a moment to explore a bit of what used to be a place we called home.

We couldn’t do anything else until we drove around Lake Monona, where we once had a home, and took in the wintery views (there is an epic 13.2-mile trail that loops around the lake that is worth exploring if you visit!). Though our time was limited, we were able to enjoy some of it along State Street exploring the shops, eateries, the FREE @mmocamadison, and the beautiful architecture of the WI State Capitol Building (the Dane County Farmers Market will soon pick up again - Saturdays, April 15 thru November 11, 2023 around the Capitol Building and it is one of the best farmers markets anywhere!). 

We booked a room at the @hiltonmadison Monona Terrace to be within walking distance of all the downtown fun (tip: for a room with a lake view make sure to book at the upper levels above 10th floor for an unobstructed view of Lake Monona). 

Madison, WI is a skip and a hop from the Finger Lakes so this short and sweet visit didn’t feel difficult at all. And we absolutely loved the winter scenery and seeing what has changed (a lot) since we lived here.

Stay tuned for my list of where we ate!

Have you ever been to Madison, WI?

#madisonwi #weekendgetaway #wisconsin @destinationmadison
The joy of that first sip of the day. #randommom The joy of that first sip of the day. 

#randommomentsarethebest
I think my husband enjoys it, but still can’t be I think my husband enjoys it, but still can’t believe how easily I’ve been waking up in the early mornings since our last trip. Not sure how to shake it, or if it’s temporary, but here it is: the rare sighting of me up and moving early in the day. Am I a morning person now? Has travel ever permanently changed any of your habits?

#morningperson #lifeinthecountry #newme <-😂

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