No single sign proves a buyer won’t pay. Lots of honest people use Gmail and some good agencies write clumsy emails. But when several of these turn up in the same thread, it’s worth slowing down, asking for payment upfront, or saying no.
1. They have a poor record
The quickest check of all. Paste the address into the lookup before you reply. “Not paid” ratings on Outreach Ratings are only published after a moderator has checked the evidence.
2. The name and the email don’t match
The email signature says “Sarah, Senior Outreach Manager at a big agency”, but the address is a random Gmail account. Sometimes that’s just a freelancer. Sometimes it’s someone borrowing an agency’s name.
3. There’s no company you can find
No website, no address, no LinkedIn page, or a website built last week with nothing on it. If you can’t find who you’re dealing with, you can’t chase them later.
4. Payment “after indexing” or “after approval”
These sound reasonable but leave the payment date open-ended and out of your hands. Ask for a fixed number of days instead. See our post on guest post payment terms.
5. They rush you
“We need it live today, payment straight after.” Urgency is a common pressure tactic. A genuine buyer can wait the few minutes it takes you to check them.
6. They want the price, then go quiet on how they pay
They agree your rate instantly but won’t say how or when they’ll pay. Get the method and the date in writing before you publish.
7. The links don’t match the article
A sensible article about home insurance with a casino or loan link added at the end. Even if they pay, the link can harm your site. If they try to change links after publishing, that is a red flag too.
8. They change the person you’re dealing with
You agreed terms with one person; after publishing, someone else replies and says they “can’t find the order”. Keep everything in one thread and name the original agreement when you chase.
9. Other bloggers have had the same email
Outreach is often sent in bulk. If friends have had identical offers, ask how those deals went, or check the address on Outreach Ratings to see what others reported.
What to do when you spot them
- One small sign: carry on, but agree clear terms.
- Two or three: ask for payment upfront.
- A poor record or several signs at once: decline politely and move on.
If you use Gmail, Pro members can add our browser extension, which puts stars next to rated senders in the inbox list, so most of this check happens before you even open the message. See Pro.
