free sample jobs, design contests and other scams

[Ray C]

I recently fell for it. I knew it was a bad idea but I just though I'd try and see what happens (I had a free hour to throw away and of course i got burned. I would like to know if anyone else fell for the same thing and that would confirm that it was a scam. Because they said they needed 10 freelancers I see they are interviewing 16 and i think i read somewhere not to say the name of the client which seems right in case they are on the level but just moving slowly. Please advise if there is a way to find out if anyone else is being victimized by this person who could very well be getting their whole job done for free. I would like to save my fellow freelancers the trouble though, as well as thwart this offender, who is basically a theif in my opinion. He spent a lot of time schmoozing me so i would s

say he is just a scammer. so mods please advise if i can say their name. Thanks.

[Preston H]

No need to say his name, Ray.

 His name is Legion, and we already know him and his kind.

Now you know him, too, and you won't make this same mistake again.

[Ray C]

Well actually that wasn't the name he posted as and the funny thing is he has a website and a company and everything so i think this is another one. Now maybe he just hated my work and didn't feel he needed to write me back but saying nothing makes him seem suspicious.

[Jennifer M]

I fell for this scam many moons ago when I first started. Don't beat yourself up. At least it was just an hour. There are some people here who get scammed out of an entire week of work.

[Preston H · Accepted solution]

re: "Well actually that wasn't the name..."

Um... I debated whether or not to explain this, because typically one should not explain jokes or allusions, but for the original poster's sake:

When I said "His name is Legion", this phrase alluded to the phrase "I am Legion, for we are many", which has its origins in the New Testament account of the man inhabited by many demons. Mark 5:9 contains the phrase "My name is Legion: for we are many"

The allusion simultaneously implies that the scammer you encountered is just one of countless scammers who do the same thing (their ranks are "legion"), and also implies that what he is doing is evil/villainous/demonic.

I'm not saying that the scammer literally has a profile in which either his personal name or company name is "Legion."

[Ray C]

I thought that sounded familiar. I suspected you were waxing metaphoric and alluding to a well known referrence, I

just couldn't place it. sorry you had to explain it. I'm usually quicker on the uptake but being new here I'm a bit out of my element. I really appreciate your thoughtfullness and time, Preston