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If I had $1 everytime i got a message on Fiverr saying, âPlease help find workâ I would be one rich lady.
Thankfully, I will say that as someone whoâs booked high 4 figure deals through Fiverr (as well as $5 projects when I first started), the possibility of a buyer scamming you on a low budget project is infinitely higher.
But while vigilance is important, I have never had a super duper bad Fiverr experience to this day.
Instead of scams, I usually run into the funniest spam messages, like the guy that kept texting, âHi, are you horse?â.
I believe my luck with no major scams comes down to a few things. One: not engaging when clients give me major red flags (and politely closing the conversation) and two: being proactive with my ToS.
With that in mind, letâs discuss some things to avoid if you are selling services on Fiverr and donât want to get scammed.
Requesting contact outside of Fiverr
Almost all buyers that have been on Fiverr for more than a minute, know there are strict âno contact outside the platform policiesâ. If a buyer seems particularly pushy from the start to find out outside the platform, it is likely they are trying to scam you.
Usually Fiverr is pretty good at blocking these buyers straight away.
Another dead giveaway usually, is the fact that the user profile has been created within that month, something you can see on the right side of your dashboard.
Clients who demand a lot of work for peanuts
This is an obvious red flag. A client that reaches out wanting 12h delivery on 100 blog posts with a budget of $100 is not someone I would want to work with under any circumstances.
Even if the work is done well, chances are high that this buyer will have multiple revisions or favors to ask for.
Even if you are just starting out, resist the urge to lower your prices or take on projects that require a lot of work.
If you want to test Fiverr, you can use my link and get 10% off your first purchaseÂ
Buyers that suggest alternative payment methods
If a buyer asks to pay you outside of Fiverr â thatâs a red flag. Full stop.
Even if they seem professional or promise a big project down the line, any request to move off-platform should be treated as a serious risk. Not only does it go against Fiverrâs terms of service (which could get your account flagged), but if something goes wrong, you have zero protection.
That said, not every buyer is acting maliciously.
Some just donât know how Fiverr works â especially if theyâre new to the platform.
For cases like that, I usually respond with something like:
âHey! Just a heads-up â Fiverr doesnât allow sharing personal contact or payment info outside the platform. Iâm happy to continue here to keep things safe for both of us.â
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Most legitimate buyers will say âOh, I didnât knowâ and continue normally.
If they push back, try to move the conversation off-platform again, or act annoyed?
đ© Thatâs your sign to walk away.
Asking for free work or samples with no intention of placing an order
This oneâs sneaky and super common.
Some buyers will message you with an exciting offer. âWe have lots of work coming your way,â theyâll say â but first, they want to âtest your skillsâ with a small free task.
It usually sounds like this:
âCan you just write a quick sample so we can evaluate your style? If itâs good, weâll place a big order.â
This is a red flag.
Sometimes theyâre just trying to get work for free. Other times theyâre âshopping around,â asking five different sellers for samples, and disappearing once theyâve collected enough free content.
And hereâs the important bit:
Fiverr actually prohibits you from starting work without an active order in place.
Even if you wanted to do a free sample â you technically shouldnât. It goes against Fiverrâs Terms of Service, and if things go south, Fiverr canât help you recover lost time or protect your work.
What to do instead?
- Direct them to your gig portfolio or work samples.
- Offer a paid test order â something small, fast, and fairly priced to start the relationship right.
Serious buyers will respect your boundaries.
The rest can keep looking preferably somewhere else.
Buyers Who Threaten with a Negative Review
This is one of the clearest signs youâre dealing with a bad buyer.
Sometimes the threat is direct:
âIf you donât add this extra revision, Iâll leave a bad review.â
Other times, itâs more subtle â hinting at dissatisfaction to pressure you into doing extra work that wasnât part of the deal.
Either way, itâs manipulative.
Iâve received two one-star reviews over the years because I refused to budge under completely illogical pressure. In both cases, the buyers tried to change the scope of the project after delivery and expected extra work without payment. I stood my ground.
One of those reviews was actually removed after I contacted Fiverr support and submitted evidence of malicious intent. It doesnât always happen, but Fiverr will step in when you have a strong case and solid documentation.
If this happens to you, donât panic. Take screenshots, stay calm, and reach out to support. And if needed, walk away from the order altogether.
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