Avoid working and writing for Content Panel Limited via Skype

 The newest scam for freelance writers looking to make some extra dollars on the side comes from someone claiming to be David from Content Panel Limited and hiring via Skype. As you probably know already, very few legitimate agencies are currently hiring via Skype, yet there are still some content managers and small companies that prefer to use Skype to communicate with their writers.

Same old, Same old

If you previously read my article on avoiding SEO Content Hero Agency, then you will be familiar with what I am about to show you. This scammer uses the exact same wording and introduction in the Skype messages, so it might just be the same person or one of his friends. 

While I would not be able to tell you for sure who is behind this, one thing is certain: Avoid at all costs, unless you enjoy working for free. This is most probably not the real Content Panel company, and it's the same promise of being paid on the last day of the month based on a signed agreement that uses fictional data and executive names. 

What can I do?

We will probably not be able to find the real identity of this scammer too soon since he uses different email addresses, changes names and only communicates via Skype. However, a more intrusive investigation with the help of Cybercrime Police (such as Interpol or FBI) could shed some light in this case of identity theft, usage of unpaid workers and unauthorized use of copyrighted material.

Until the police does its job, I suggest that you do the following:

- Only work through trusted Freelance platforms

- Only work after Escrow deposit is set in place 

- Do not believe in signed agreements regardless of how genuine they look

If you still have certain doubts on a client, ask him to send you a photo of his ID and check if the name is the same as the one he mentioned before in the project. If that is not an option, ask to be paid upfront for the first 5 articles via Paypal, and only then start working. This way you will avoid being scammed by the likes of Content Panel Limited.

Update: Is there a legitimate Content Panel website out there?

Seems so (www.thecontentpanel.com) ! I recently discovered it through a Google search and decided to apply as a freelance writer on the platform. Seems like a pretty strict and reputable platform and they claim to pay weekly (every Monday). If they have many clients and are constantly accepting new writers, then I would recommend it. However, as I don't see many reviews of it online, I would suggest attempting the enrolment and doing the bare minimum for one week (e.g. writing 2 high quality articles) to see if they are correct with the payments or not.

I applied on the platform today and I received a message saying that my application will be reviewed in 90 days or more, based on current demand. Now that's a real bummer and one of the reasons they will lose many quality writers, since no one enjoys waiting 3 months or more for their expert team to verify a small profile and a 150-word test assignment. If they are serious about their business, they should have dozens of qualified professionals to review each new profile on a daily basis, and not just few people reviewing profiles manually every couple days. This is a big loss for them.