Anatomy of a Scam:
The "We Want to Fund You" Trap
Sa journey natin bilang freelancers, we're always hustling to build our dreams. Kaya naman kapag may pumasok na email na mukhang golden ticket—an offer to fund our projects—it's genuinely exciting.
Just recently, I received an offer from a "leading crypto firm." At first glance, it stops you in your tracks. But one of the most important skills we need isn't coding—it's the ability to spot a scam from a mile away.
Red Flags Dissected
Unprofessional Sender
A "leading crypto firm" using a random Gmail account (fff607882@gmail.com)? Legitimate companies always use official domains.
Generic Template
No company name, no recipient name, just "CFO." This is a mass-sent template hoping someone bites, not a researched inquiry.
Mismatched Reply-To
Sent from Gmail, but replies go to info@cfobin.com. This is a classic tactic to bypass spam filters before switching to their real server.
Too Good To Be True
Unsolicited money offers don't exist. Legitimate investors do extensive due diligence, they don't throw money at strangers via cold email.
The Catch: Advance-Fee Fraud
Ganito ang laro niyan: They will quickly "approve" your project. But before releasing the millions, they will ask for a small "processing fee," "legal fee," or "insurance" in cryptocurrency.
Once you send that fee, they vanish. You will never get the loan.
As freelancers, we are the CEOs of our own careers. We must protect our time, money, and intellectual property. Always scrutinize unsolicited offers.