DON’T GET SCAMMED ARC

Safe trials, clear pay, controlled access.

A practical checklist for creators and applicants before contact moves off-platform.

Pay for meaningful trials

Keep trial assignments small, watermark or limit source assets, define what will be evaluated, and pay when the output has real production value.

Write the deal down

Confirm rate, deliverables, revisions, deadlines, ownership, confidentiality, expenses, travel, cancellation, and payment timing.

Start with least access

Do not hand over primary channel credentials. Use platform roles, delegated access, separate drives, and revocable permissions.

Verify before travel

For IRL or event work, confirm identity, venue, dates, transportation, lodging, emergency contacts, insurance expectations, and safety boundaries.

Revenue share is not magic money

Define the revenue source, percentage, reporting access, duration, deductions, payment schedule, and what happens when the relationship ends.

Report weird behavior

Urgency, secrecy, gift-card payments, crypto-only pay, unpaid large samples, credential requests, and off-platform pressure are all worth slowing down for.