The time I almost got scammed as a ghostwriter

Help me spread the word so other writers won't be harmed!

This is a difficult post because nobody likes to be treated like a fool, and no one likes to be almost duped.

Even though there was no actual harm done in this case, it did feel intrusive and gross, to say the least. I’d like to say that I should have known better, but this scam was cleverly conducted and seemed to be the real deal, at least at the beginning.

It started when someone who seemed like a potential client contacted me through my website miriamcalleja.com. Some of you may have found me that way and requested my services. My website is pretty cool … and made by the amazing Systemato, so it attracts clients and places high on searches. It's all legit so far.

I answered the request via email and received further information rather swiftly. The client was requesting two articles …

Hello Miriam,

Thank you for your prompt reply. The articles are intended for an upcoming social sensitization program/webinar aimed at students aged 15 to 21. The theme of the program is "Internet and Social Media and : Merit and Demerit" The objective of the webinar is to address the growing issue of Internet and social media addiction that is increasingly affecting young individuals today. The article will be distributed electronically to all participants.

The title of the articles are "Social Media and Mental Health" AND "Internet and Youth Development."

I require concise and comprehensive articles of 1,400 words each. That's 2800 words in total. The tone should be informal yet assertive. Please provide the final document in PDF format. I would like to retain exclusive rights to the articles, although you may include them in your portfolio. You will be responsible for sourcing the necessary materials, and I request that no illustrations or graphics be included. Additionally, I do not want any references, links, or citations—just the text of the articles.

To acknowledge your efforts, you may include your byline on the articles. If you need a contract, please send yours over, and I will review it and add my signature.

The budget for this project is $1.60 per word. That's $1.60 x 2800 words totaling $4,480. I believe this is a fair offer, but please inform me if it does not meet your expectations. Payment will be made by one of the program's sponsors.

Below is the outline for the article, which will guide you on the topics I would like you to cover:

ARTICLE 1: Social Media and Mental Health (1,400 words)

1. Social Media: Background and Introduction.

2. The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health:

i. The Positive Impact

ii. The Negative Impact

3. Managing the Effects of Social Media on Mental Health

4. Conclusion.

ARTICLE 2 : Internet and Youth Development (1,400 words)

1. Introduction/Overview:

2. A brief history of the Internet.

3. Importance of the Internet on Education.

4. The effects of the Internet on Student Performance.

5. Internet addiction and how to mitigate it.

6. Conclusion.

I would appreciate receiving the article by or before January 25, 2025.

Finally, what would be your preferred mode of payment? Though I'm proposing a certified bank draft, a cashier's check or bank certified check. The check will be issued and mailed to you as soon as you send me your details.

You will notice in this email certain details that give the impression that this client has worked with ghostwriters before, answering questions that I may have posed if she hadn’t provided the information so soon into our conversation.

The fee was on the high side, considering that the topic was rather generic; however, it wasn’t outrageous enough to question. A generic topic means I’d need to do more work to make the presentation interesting.

The only thing I was ready to question was, “I do not want any references, links, or citations—just the text of the articles.” as this seemed unethical/unprofessional, but seeing as she was presenting to young adults and not providing the text, this seemed relatively innocuous.

I agreed to tackle the job and to send over my standard contract, which stated that she would pay 50% of the fee at the start of the project.

What may have been the first red flag happened next.

Then again, some ghostwriting clients are particular about revealing their identity and appearing on camera simply because they do not want anyone to know that someone else is doing the work for them. It was understandable enough, so I let it go, even though I wasn’t too pleased with ‘her’ tone. I sent her my contract.

I hadn’t been asked for anything personal yet except for my home address, which would need to be provided since her ‘sponsor’ was going to pay by check. I’ve since realized that because of how checks and banks work in the US, it was not a good idea to accept a check from a stranger, especially one of such a large amount. Where I come from, a fake check will not be deposited, and you will never see the money in your account. However, it works differently in the US.

The payment arrived on December 18th delivered by USPS, in a priority mail envelope containing nothing else. It was for the full amount, not 50% as agreed. This didn’t seem strange since a sponsor allegedly provided the payment.

The check looked legit, and nobody had a reason to question it when it was deposited through a teller at our bank. In the meantime, “April” was communicating via SMS. She confirmed that the check was received, that I deposited it, and that the money came through. In fact, she confirmed this last point twice.

In her second text, she asked whether I was able to access my payment as she wanted to give the sponsor ‘feedback.’ I confirmed that the payment was visible through my bank’s app. I was out having dinner and remember thinking this was a little excessive, but then again, it takes all kinds, and I presumed she wanted to make sure that I could get to work ASAP.

Later that night, however, I received an email and another text saying:

Miriam, there’s a new development from the sponsor and I have sent you an email to that effect. Please get back to me asap.

I checked the email, and my alarm bells went off. A quick internet search of the name in the latest email revealed a very similar scam. I immediately knew something was wrong and this person was trying to steal my money.

Here’s the email:

I was in another time zone, and it was night. My mind was reeling.

I felt like I had been rather close to getting cheated out of a substantial amount of money. I was disappointed because I had been looking forward to the work and relying on that payment to tide me over as I’ll be launching a new business soon. It was going to be handy money AND interesting work. For a freelancer, that is a double win.

Then I got indignant - cheating freelance writers, of all people! People who work hard and may not always have the disposable income they were trying to cheat me of. I was lucky in a way that I hadn’t touched the money that the bank had temporarily showed me I had, but what if I’d used it to pay off a loan? Or make a purchase I’d been meaning to make? What if I realized I could finally afford to buy those flights I’d been saving up for? The nearness of relative disaster made me sick to the stomach.

While I slept fitfully, “April” sent me more texts:

Did you get my email Miriam

She’s threatening to cancel the entire gig if I don’t give her feedback

Later that night, still unable to sleep, I logged into my bank account again. Sure enough, the check appeared to have bounced. I didn’t actually need further proof that this was a scam, but of course, here it was.

I kept trying to think of ways to undo how icky I felt, to retaliate, but I couldn’t actually do anything except plan to report this event to the cybercrime unit, write about it here, and spread the word among writers’ groups.

I didn’t want “April” to know I knew she was tricking me yet, so I told her the check bounced. She pretended not to understand and asked for proof. I guess she was hoping I’d reveal more personal information or that I’d believe her, but she didn’t persist.

Knowing how prepared I like to be, I’d normally have started on the work. I’d have wasted time looking into her topic and taking notes, wanting to finish the articles way before the deadline. Luckily, this happened over my Christmas break, and I was kept busy by a couple of other tasks.

Despite that, I was quite demotivated. It’s funny how this whole experience made me feel like I’d taken some steps back in my profession; it was like falling into a hole. I read the emails repeatedly, looking for clues, berating myself for not knowing sooner. It was simply disgusting, and I kept reassuring myself that I didn’t fall for it, though it sure felt like I had.

I plan to spread the word about this so that fellow writers won’t be scammed either, so I need your help to spread the word.

If something similar happens to you, report the incident to the cybercrime unit, as I have reported this. And in case you’re here looking for news of my next poem-a-day workshop, hold on tight, and keep reading my substack.

In the meantime, because my cure is to keep doing what I do, I opened an online class called Writing for Recovery. This is not a scam :) Drop me an email on miriam.calleja (@) gmail.com to join. The class starts today and continues for 4 weeks, with a new lesson each Friday.

Thank you! Your support means a lot to me.