A client's joke about 'creative accounting' made me check their old invoices

I was on a call with a new client yesterday finalizing a project scope. He laughed and said his last designer was 'great at creative accounting' when I brought up my payment terms. I went quiet and later looked up the designer's socials. Found a vague post from them about a client who ghosted on a $2,500 final payment. The timeline matched. Has anyone else had a client slip up and basically warn you about themselves?

3 comments

3 Comments

max71619d ago

My friend's client in Austin joked about being a "serial project starter." She checked his LinkedIn and found three past collaborators listed as "references" who all gave her the side eye.

andrew_shah19d ago

That "creative accounting" line is a huge red flag. Good on you for checking their history before getting stuck in the same mess.

tessap9719d ago

That "serial project starter" line is a CLASSIC self-report. I read a whole thread about people who brag about unfinished basements or kitchen remodels, and it's always a sign they'll leave you hanging too. Always trust those little jokes.