Double J Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I've been looking for freelance writing gigs for the past 2 months. I figure it's a good way to supplement the income I earn from my full-time job. I happened on a website that specializes in academic writing. Their "Write For Us" section says that in order to apply, you need only send your resume and two writing samples. They liked my background and credentials and requested that I e-mail or fax to them a completed W-9 Form, which they in turn would send to the IRS. Since the W-9 includes my Social Security number, the thought of having it sit in someone's inbox or copy machine made me quite uneasy. So, I asked if I could just send it as certified mail and they were OK with it. There's only one problem: The company gave me an address that includes a misspelled city and a 6-digit zip code. Thankfully, I decided to Google the address before mailing out my envelope -- that's how I discovered the city was written incorrectly. This company is registered with the Better Business Bureau and has a rating of A-, so it seems legit. However, the address they asked I send my form to differs from that listed on the BBB website; I'm not sure if they might have moved at one point. Also, when you try calling them, you get an automated message each time that says, "All our agents are assisting other callers. Please leave a message and we'll get back to you promptly." The company apologized for the flubs and corrected their mistakes, but it has lost credibility in my eyes. I was thinking of asking them if someone from the company could call me. That way, I could develop rapport with someone by phone and confirm that I haven't been corresponding with a 10-year old kid all this time. Should I still mail the form to them or stay away? It seems like a good opportunity, but you can never be too careful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodsrose10 Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Hmm....this is a tough one. I can definitely understand why you've been having second thoughts. One tip I got for a situation like this is to google the company name with the word "scam" next to it, and see what comes up. I was thinking of asking them if someone from the company could call me. That way, I could develop rapport with someone by phone and confirm that I haven't been corresponding with a 10-year old kid all this time. This is a good idea; do this before you mail in anything. Good luck & keep us updated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickydoodle Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Trust your instincts. Misspelling the city is really too implausible for my liking......I would stay away until you are more certain they exist esp until you have a valid reason as to why the address on website differs to the BBB address.. Even getting someone from the company to call you may not be foolproof. Just play it safe. Do a little more research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Firecracker Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Some very shady companies manage to get good scores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Irulan Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I'd wait until they called me back before I'd sent my ssn in the mail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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