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Bad Freelance - anyone know if this is a SCAM???

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Bad Freelance - anyone know if this is a SCAM???

I completed work for this company, Digital Wave Productions, based in India, whom I had found and contacted me through an ad on this AWN website Job Listing. They went through the email: contactarc777@gmail.com

I was to do an initial 3D "test" that I would be compensated for and have more work coming if they were satisified. They were more than happy with my work and promised compensation through Paypal through several emails going back and forth. 2 months later after completion I've still received no compensation, but several excuses as to why I haven't been paid yet telling me to be patient. This past week the lady I had been communicating with stopped responding back to me :mad:

what makes this even more annoying is that I saw them post a NEW ad on AWN looking for 3D modelers recently. Is there anything I can do about this, or has anyone else had problems with this supposed company? i tried contacting AWN about this situation, but no surprise I didn't get a response back :(

As far as gmail accounts, I use one to talk with clients, instead of mucking up my straight accounts. I only use it for the peliminary discussions, but I do make my first contacts through it. It's kind of like an email firewall.

i use gmail as my corporate out going acct because u can set it up to use more than 1 acct.
gmail is uber organized so its def my choice.

Faxing a contracts takes less than 2 mins and costs maybe $2. imagine how much u save in heartache.

also good thing to do would be to have an alliance locally within countries you might do a lot of work.

sounds like a pain but its workable.

i dont know how people seem to be doing business out there. the first thing that would set me off is using Gmail. most companies with half decent resources have their own domain and email.

secondly. did you sign a contract?

how much compensation were you promised?

It was only $400, which isn't too much, but still. No contract was signed because it was supposed to be a test at first and THEN payment if the test was approved. The test models were going to be actually used for the project.

I dont know why i went through with it because I knew the gmail email was a pure red flag, but I have dealt with recruiters in the past that used regular emails before so I decided this would be alright. No signed contract, but I figured the emails stating the amount to be paid and agreement would suffice. I still couldn't believe I saw a new ad posted on AWN again, though!

Chalk another one up for learning i guess . . . ?

Well, at least post the name of the company here so others will know who to stay away from!

And yes, always get a contract. I suggest having one on your end that you can use. When someone new contacts you about getting you started on work, just tell them that you have a standard contract that you use. Tell them it's not personal, just that you've had to do it out of necessity from bad experiences in the past. Tell them it covers the interest of both parties, so that they are insured that they will be satisfied with the work produced. (Shows them why the contract is good for them to sign as well). If they don't want to sign the contract, then don't move forward.

Oh, also ask for half of the fee up front as well. this usually thins out the scammers as well. Again, just tell them it's a practice you've had to incorporate because of others poor behavior in the past and is nothing personal towards them.

That is what we do with all of our clients, and no one ever has a problem with it. It gives you more credibility as well when they see how organized and professional you are by initiating the contract and initial half deposit.

Flash Character Packs, Video Tutorials and more: www.CartoonSolutions.com

Yeah, I usually do the 50% upfront for people I do not know, haven't met and that aren't in the same location as me. Here's the company again and the lady I was communicating with:

Sandy Pat
Digital Wave Productions
DRD estate
Pashan
Pune - 25 (India)
020-26821609

contactarc777@gmail.com

It would be great if AWN took them down from their jost listings restricting them from posting again or were able to contact them themselves, but thats just wishful thinking there :)

If they tell you the test will be used as part of the show, or you think that it will, RUN!! I've heard of this happening several times, luckly never been apart of it yet. That is just a blatantly wrong. So if they tell you, or you suspect they are doing this, don't fall for it. The tests are NEVER good enough so they never pay, and they get their short done for free. Is that $400 USD or Indian Rupies(?) Either way, chalk it up as a learning experience and move on. Thanks for sharing your pain with us.

Mahalo,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

Ape 400 rupees is like $9 and change. so im sure it wasnt that.

CMantis,

its not really an issue of them cheating you more than it is about people setting themselves up in situations where they can be.

you wouldnt go rock climbing with a harness that 'might' break.

Similarly you just dont get into situations like these. A contract dosent take that long. You send them a copy, they fax it or DHL back to you.

While i do agree that the gmail address can be used by people it is one of the things that does set me off as well.

The 50% upfront thing. I never really hire anyone on those terms. It dosent work for me. I usually do a thing where payment is staggered. something like
25%-25%-50% or 33%-33%-33%

The industry in Bombay is so incestous that if you ripped someone off locally the news would travel very fast all around. Besides if someone pulled that stunt on my company, heads WOULD roll.

Yes, it was $400 American. Yeah, I know I totally set myself up there and there's not much I can do about it at this point. I just wished there was a way to prevent this company from doing this to anyone else.

Is there a standard contract out there I can download or use for my own freelance work I can handout?

Excellent point Skinny and one I plan to follow to the teeth in the future. I was eager, and innocent in the beginning. Learned my lesson the hard way.

Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.

As far as gmail accounts, I use one to talk with clients, instead of mucking up my straight accounts. I only use it for the peliminary discussions, but I do make my first contacts through it. It's kind of like an email firewall.

Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.

A fellow I know gave me some funny advice that made me laugh, but also stuck with me for a long time--I've NOT followed this a few times and been burned every one of those times.

The advice is: "never do business with someone whose neck you cannot wring in person".

Sure its morbid, and darkly funny, but its got its ring of wisdom too.

"We all grow older, we do not have to grow up"--Archie Goodwin ( 1937-1998)