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If I had $1 everytime i got a message on Fiverr saying, “Please help find work” I would be one rich lady.
Thankfully, I will say that as someone who’s 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, “Hi, are you horse?”.
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, let’s discuss some things to avoid if you are selling services on Fiverr and don’t 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 “no contact outside the platform policies“. 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 purchase
Buyers that suggest alternative payment methods
If a buyer asks to pay you outside of Fiverr — that’s 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 Fiverr’s 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 don’t know how Fiverr works — especially if they’re new to the platform.
For cases like that, I usually respond with something like:
“Hey! Just a heads-up — Fiverr doesn’t allow sharing personal contact or payment info outside the platform. I’m happy to continue here to keep things safe for both of us.”
Most legitimate buyers will say “Oh, I didn’t know” and continue normally.
If they push back, try to move the conversation off-platform again, or act annoyed?
🚩 That’s your sign to walk away.
Asking for free work or samples with no intention of placing an order
This one’s sneaky and super common.
Some buyers will message you with an exciting offer. “We have lots of work coming your way,” they’ll say — but first, they want to “test your skills” with a small free task.
It usually sounds like this:
“Can you just write a quick sample so we can evaluate your style? If it’s good, we’ll place a big order.”
This is a red flag.
Sometimes they’re just trying to get work for free. Other times they’re “shopping around,” asking five different sellers for samples, and disappearing once they’ve collected enough free content.
And here’s 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 — you technically shouldn’t. It goes against Fiverr’s Terms of Service, and if things go south, Fiverr can’t 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 — 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 you’re dealing with a bad buyer.
Sometimes the threat is direct:
“If you don’t add this extra revision, I’ll leave a bad review.”
Other times, it’s more subtle — hinting at dissatisfaction to pressure you into doing extra work that wasn’t part of the deal.
Either way, it’s manipulative.
I’ve 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 doesn’t always happen, but Fiverr will step in when you have a strong case and solid documentation.
If this happens to you, don’t panic. Take screenshots, stay calm, and reach out to support. And if needed, walk away from the order altogether.
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