Writer Beware is a blog that alerts writers to scams, and possible scams. In some respects it is like a consumer organisation for writers. For example, it will bring to its readers’ attention dreadful terms and conditions embedded in a publisher’s small print, and horror tales of writers who have found themselves tied up in a contract that pays nothing but which they cannot extract themselves from.

It is based in America, where its main focus lies. However, I find it useful in two ways.

First, many of the principles it covers are universal in nature.

Second, some of the scams are potentially of interest to writers anywhere. For example, one of its most recent stories is about how some freelance writers are having their identity stolen. What seems to be happening is that people are going to writers’ websites, grabbing their photos, making a note of their credentials, and then presenting themselves to companies looking for freelancers to do some work for them.

(If you are the victim of such a scam, as well as being economically damaging, in that someone else could be getting work that you might have enjoyed, there is the likely reputational damage too. If that person delivers poor copy, it is your reputation on the line, not theirs. My solution is to be constantly on the lookout for my name being mentioned, so I can respond quickly where necessary. I use Google Alerts for this purpose. To read more about this form of identity theft, look at Scam Warnings For Freelancers.)

Link: Writer Beware Blog