online work without scams: a reference guide

Inet Zarabotok

An independent reference guide to remote work and online safety. We are not a job board, an employer or a financial company, we make no income promises, and we are not affiliated with the previous site on this domain.

Problems

Troubleshooting

Problems happen even to careful contractors: a client stops replying, payment is delayed, a platform suddenly blocks your profile. In moments like these it is tempting to fire off sharp messages and make rash decisions. It is better to act in order: gather your documents, state your position calmly and use the official ways to protect yourself.

Disputes are won not by whoever writes the loudest, but by whoever saved the messages.

— Editor's view

How this section works: we describe the general course of action without legal fine print. If the amount is significant or the situation is complicated, consult a lawyer; we do not give personal advice.

Common situations

I delivered the work, but the client has not paid

Send a polite reminder listing what was delivered and the agreed payment date. If there is no reply, send a formal written demand referring to the contract or your messages. If you are working through a platform, open a dispute under its rules right away, without waiting for the deadlines to run out.

The client disappeared in the middle of the project

Stop work at the current stage and document what has been done. Write through every contact channel you have and name a date after which you consider the agreement suspended. Do not hand over source files until the completed part has been paid for.

My platform account was blocked

Do not create a new profile to get around the block; that usually only makes things worse. Reread the rules, contact support through the official form, describe the situation calmly and attach supporting evidence. Do not trust anyone who offers to "unblock it for a fee."

I missed a deadline

Tell the client as soon as you realize you will not make it, not in the final hour. Give the reason without making excuses, a new realistic deadline and what you can deliver right now. An honest heads-up saves the relationship far more often than silence does.

The client keeps demanding endless revisions

Go back to what you agreed on regarding the number of revisions and the scope of work. Suggest treating new requests as a separate task with its own payment and deadline.

If you have not been paid

  1. Gather evidence

    The contract or the messages with the terms, files with their sending dates, and confirmation of acceptance if there was one. Take screenshots of important messages in case they get deleted.

  2. Send a written reminder

    Keep it short and free of blame: what was done, when it was delivered, the agreed amount and the date by which you expect payment.

  3. Send a formal demand

    If the reminder did not work, send a formal demand to the address given in the contract or on the client's website, and keep proof that it was sent.

  4. Use official mechanisms

    On a platform, use its dispute resolution process. When working directly, negotiate, and if the amount is significant, consult a lawyer about next steps.

  5. Learn for the future

    Ask new clients for a deposit or milestone payments. One bad experience is a reason to revise your rules, not to quit working.

If your account was blocked

  • Save everything you still have access to: messages with clients, your project history, your work.
  • Find the clause in the platform's rules that may have been treated as a violation and prepare an explanation.
  • Contact only the official support team, not go-betweens who reach out in messages or comments.
  • Warn your current clients about a possible delay and suggest a legitimate way to finish the work.
  • Comparisons

    Employment contract, freelancing through a platform, direct clients and self-employment: what each option offers and what to think about in advance.

  • Security

    Two-factor authentication, phishing, SMS codes, fake job offers, money mule schemes and paid-like tasks: how to recognize them and what is at stake.

  • Guides

    Step-by-step guides: how to land your first projects, write a proposal, discuss a test task and deliver the work. The article catalogue is here too.

  • FAQ

    Answers to common questions about this guide, finding projects and getting paid, the tax for the self-employed, and keeping money and accounts safe.

Sources

  • Federal Tax Service of Russia: information on the professional income tax

Information on Russia's professional income tax and on what the Bank of Russia publishes was checked against official sources as of the date this material was prepared. Terms set by platforms, banks and employers change, so check the current version before any important decision.