Virtual Buzz Assistant

Internet Fraud is common, and virtual assistants must be careful not to get caught up in the fraud.  I have personally seen several new attempts to set up ¨non-profits¨ where the people were asking virtual assistants to create buzz and donations for their new effort.

A virtual assistant is an easy target because these fraudulant psudo-organizations do not want to hire real employees and a virtual assistant can propogate the fraud without being aware of what they are doing.  They never see the office, never meet the owners in person, etc.

So what can you do to protect yourself from aiding a fraudulant business or non-profit?

• Always get at least partial payment in advance.  Without exception.
• Always have the client sign a contract and be sure your contract specifically mentions that the company cannot be engaging in illegal or deceptive activities.
• Check the better business bureau if you have doubts about a client
• Get references from suppliers concerning the client.
• Don´t give your client a social security number.  A Federal Business number is all they need if you are a registered business.
• Do not give your bank number for direct deposit.
• Immediately stop services if the client falls behind in payments.
• Use a collections agency when the client does not appear willing to pay their bill.
• Stick to ethical buzz marketing tactics.
• Do not believe things that seem too good to be true.  Do not work with the expectation that there will be a lot of money coming in the future.  If you want to do that, start your own business.
• Never cosign on loans or help in raising money that involves your credit or reputation.

I am sure I am leaving some things out.  The reality is, there are a lot of people that believe their own hype and will try to get you to buy it.  Virtual Assistants need to take every precausion to avoid aiding internet fraud and getting involved with clients that are not good for them and ultimately will result in lost income and opportunities.  It is easy to get excited about a new client, especially if they are promising big things, but have a system in place to check the validity of the client, get payment in advance and detect internet fraud if it is happening.

Remember, catching it up front will prevent a lot of headaches in the future.