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Reminder for those getting client inquiries: people asking you to run code on your system before they've given you any money is likely a scam. Get real contact info, get a face to the name, and do your best to vet the client before you start doing anything like installing packages.
@Contra HQ does a really phenomenal job of handling issues once you flag them, if they don't catch them by the time you open your messages. There's a handy 'Report' button. Best to use that and not even let the scammer know you're onto them.
Stay safe, fake clients are everywhere. The only obstacle to you making more money is losing it all to a scam.
I'd add one hard line: don't run a stranger's code on the same machine that holds client work. If it needs inspection, use a clean test machine and walk away if they push back.
Thanks for the heads up on this! I would not run anything without a signed contract and knowing who they are
Good call on the Report button over calling them out directly, I hadn't thought about tipping off the scammer that way. Did something specific happen recently that made you write this up, or is it more a pattern you keep seeing in inquiries?
It is not a common scam but I did have someone do that exact thing yesterday. Down to fake commit history and a script in the repo leftover to generate commit history
Agreed bro!! 🚀
thanks for sharing your advice, Andrés! stay safe out there <3 we do our best to prevent any spam from getting through, but sometimes they make it through our safeguards so reporting any suspicious convo is a huge help.
we have this article about how to detect and report potential scams as well!
help.contra.com
How to detect and report potential scams | Contra Help Center
Reporting scams on Contra
Like I said, y'all are killer. I often see something that looks like spam and by the time I go to open Contra it's already handled. Those safeguards are super helpful
facts, this one goes around way too often
Getting a face to the name is such practical advice, but it's easy to skip when you're excited about a lead. What's your go-to way of verifying someone's real identity before you commit any time, video call, LinkedIn cross-check, something else?
Day 12 here, still no inquiries...
this is really helpful
The fabricated commit history is the tell most people miss, since a real repo has messy issues, PRs, and several contributors over time while a scam repo is one author spraying commits in a single day. I check the contributors graph and issue tab before running anything, and if...
Thank you for the heads up.
you should not write code for them, or not accept code from them?
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Where does your data go when you use AI tools? I checked my own meeting notetaker this morning. The answers were reassuring, and they took an hour to find, because they were spread across a privacy policy, a DPA and a help center.
Today's tarot card is The Fool: stepping off a cliff edge, eyes on the sky. That was me with the notetaker. Clicked accept, never looked down.
So I turned the method into a free guide: how to check any AI tool your team uses, with the settings and links for eight vendors and a printable worksheet.
https://contra.com/products/l3NYerft-where-does-your-data-go
If you're planning an AI project for a client, check before the first byte of real data goes in.
Taking an hour to find the answer across three documents makes the case for the guide. I'd put each vendor's retention period and deletion path on one page, so a team can check both before the first upload.
Wow appreciate the feature @Contra HQ !!
Recently reached my 1 year mark on Contra and I can only say that this is a world class product both as a user and for clients.
The payments, matching, support and just attentive detail from the team (especially product and support team) have been really next level.
If you've just gotten on Contra, drop any questions below and I'll drop my helpful advice for you!
Congratulations brother! 🎉 This is the kind of success I’m working towards too. One step at a time. 🚀
Here I am, stuck in 9K.