Safe to say I (18f), am dumb as fuck.
So, I took to tumblr to promote my fic (Abigail Hobbs, HannibalNBC), as one does, that I’ve been working on for a while. I’m proud of it.
Someone commented, they asked if it’d be okay if they read over my work and offered critiques and suggestions. I’ve been in dire need of a beta reader. Naturally, I accepted the offer. Wow, look at this, I can get actual concrete advice instead of a half hearted “It’s good” from a friend I asked to read it.
So, they read my first chapter. They gave solid advice, the good and the bad. I’m like ‘Wow, I’ve struck gold with this beta reader!!’. The account and the person seem legitimate enough.
Then.. they ask me a favour. I say ‘Of course! Depending on what it is, that is’. Because I’m stupid. I should have said no. I’m a pushover. I’m working on it, I swear.
They tell me that they are starting out on upwork (a site for freelancing), and need some support, and if I could place even a small order it would be appreciated. I am agoraphobic. I don’t work. I rarely even leave the house. I am penniless.
I tell them as such.
BUT, I offer to promote their services on my tumblr (baring in mind, I don’t have a large sphere of influence). I do that, blah blah blah, and I say that whenever I scrape together some money I will be sure to put some of it towards their cause. I want to be nice. I don’t want to profit off of their services without paying them back somehow. I feel bad.
I made some money dog walking, I’ve been able to do that as I’m in recovery (yay!), so because I’m gullible af, I sent a text saying I came across a bit of spare money, I’d make a small order. Not much, which I apologised for. Turns out there’s a fee to make the first order, I don’t have the money for that, so I can’t.
I’m hashing over this series of events. The entire time I’ve feared it was a scam, because I am neurotic and skeptical as a person. I don’t listen to my gut, though. Dumb, I know.
I just don’t know. I found out it’s not normal to ask for money for these services (in fanfic world) because of legal problems and just the fact that Fanfiction is about community. I thought it was weird.
I’m afraid they’re feeding my work into AI, or using AI to analyse it, and taking advantage of my situation to get money out of me. I’d block, but I’m also afraid that they’re a legit person and I’d be stripping them of work. Not to mention, I don’t know what account they used to read my story because they left no comments, votes, didn’t save it to their story list or anything. So if I blocked on tumblr, nothing is to stop them from doing what they would like with my work because I don’t know who they are.
Does this sound like a scam? Sorry for the long-winded rant, I’m just stressed af about this.
Update : I learned my lesson, and the account in question has since been blocked, reported and no money was made :))