Internet Fraud by Freelance Websites
Saturday January 29 2005, 18:16:21
http://www.w3reports.com
This is the latest form of internet frauds. Many offshore projects are being executed via freelance websites where buyers and coders get together for conducing offshore software development or outsoucing any other kind of work. Lately, there have been many complaints especially by the coders from South Asia of being mis-treated, money not being paid even they delivered the projects online. Majority of them sign up by seeing BBB.org or SquareTrade.com logos displayed on these websites only to find out later that these two trust organizations are merely for "display" purpose, and none of them can help in any way to the victims of such internet fraud.
A typical internet fraud takes place like this. A coder from a poor country signs up with a USA based free offshore projects website like xxxxxxx.com with a hope to earn a decent living by delivering projects. The buyers get benefit of offshore outsourcing by paying one tenth of the same project that they would have paid to their local provider instead. Another breed of buyers has started to take advantage of the faulty and in-house arbitration process by xxxxxxx.com which is made available to anyone who got complaint. There were many coder complaints of the preferential treatment of buyers on this particular website as compared to giving justice to coders. Since the website xxxxxxx.com charges almost 40% or even more in shape of fees, processing, payment and what not. But still there are many complaints of website coders that they were NOT paid due to unfair arbitration process being mishandled and misuesed by the so-called arbitrators or buyers.
This has led to many criminal cases being registered against this website and we have heard many stories from coders especially from the area of Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka of them being exploited by the buyers via unfair arbitration processes being taken place at those sites. A caution is advised for anyone trying to singup or use freelance websites. Whenever you are caught in such an internet fraud, you are advised to contact law authorities via phone or in person if you are located within USA. If outside, you can send them an email or fax at the various contact information made available by the USA Government.
Wishing you a safe and secure freelance career without hassles of internet fraud via such sites.
Amir Ali Tayyab CEO ZEN Corporation
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Ahmad (Member-The TEAM at WeHelp) wrote:Just to add a bit to my initial comment. I am a Pakistani, so I am a part of the community that you have depicted as misguided in their trust and deceived by freelance sites.
I have been to RAC and done One project with 10 Excellent Rating. I enjoyed it and also i got my payment on time So i dont think that this website is a FRAUD there are consiquences for doing wrong but if you are GOOD then nothing to worry about. I would recommend RAC to every coder.
Regards
Syed Rizwan Shah
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I have been working on RAC for about 6-7 months now. I am on the list of Top Coders on RAC and I enjoy a rating of 10 on all completed projects.
My experience has been one I have found financially rewarding. While I can say that the experience has been most enjoyable, I have worked HARD for my reputation and ratings on RAC. I have spent TIME on my projects, trying my level best to provide the exact final product required by my clients.
Just like in our daily business, RAC clients need to be understood as well, you can't generalize and produce whatever YOU think is the requirement. It always helps to ask questions beforehand to get to know the task. And the results are bound to improve with such commitment.
The reason for my ranting on is the fact that this article generalizes with sites such as freelance and RAC as being fraudulent. And it generalizes that Asian programmers/writers are the suffering party.
I, for one, as an RAC buyer and service provider, can freely state that the funds escrow system on RAC works very well (I have tried it both as a buyer and seller) and I have never had any problems with it.
Having been a part of some arbitration processes as well, I do not think that the system has any corruption. You don't have to fear anything if you have not done anything wrong.
Hence, I find your article to be misguiding to coders and other service providers from Asia...they have nothing to fear if they use the escrow system and follow site rules (to which they are bound when they agree to complete a project)
Kind Regards.