At a Co‑op Bank Youth Forum on 25 September, Grace Mureithi, Director of Customer Success at DreamStart Labs, cautioned freelancers about a surge in online job scams targeting gig workers.

Mureithi highlighted typical red flags such as vague job descriptions, unrealistic pay, requests for upfront fees and pressure to accept offers quickly.

She advised freelancers to secure a signed contract before starting any work and to keep communications and payments on trusted platforms until a reliable relationship is established.

Scammers, according to Mureithi, often promise unusually high payments for simple tasks and then ask the worker to pay a fee to begin the job.

Gig economy growth in Kenya

The Kenyan gig sector now involves roughly 1.2 million people, spanning software services, remote administrative support and other digital tasks.

This rapid expansion has created new income opportunities for young Kenyans while also attracting fraudsters seeking to exploit inexperienced job seekers.

Practical steps for safe freelancing

Mureithi recommended beginners concentrate on one or two reputable platforms rather than spreading across many sites, and to build credibility through clear profiles, strong portfolios and sample projects.

She also urged freelancers to package their skills by showing how they can solve specific business problems, rather than merely listing software tools.

Legitimate freelance work examples cited include managing communication campaigns, bookkeeping during tax season, supporting product launches and providing customer support.