With the coronavirus pandemic leaving millions of people out of work and stuck in their homes, there has been a flood of new webcam models on every platform. Some are transitioning from offline sex work to online-only services, while others are brand-new to sex work. Wherever you’re starting from, save yourself some headaches by avoiding the 3 most common mistakes that new models make!
1. Using CashApp/PayPal/Venmo
There’s no arguing that CashApp, PayPal, and Venmo aren’t easy to use: they are! Unfortunately, they’re also payment platforms that explicitly ban the use of their services when sending or receiving payments related to sex work. And yes, whether you’re on OnlyFans, selling nudes by DM on Twitter, or doing texting sessions on Kik, you are considered a sex worker under the definition of “adult entertainment industry” on all 3 payment platforms. Here is how that becomes a problem for you: customers know that adult payments are banned on these platforms. Some people use that knowledge to pay for the model, receive the session or content, then contact the platform and request a refund. When they explain that they paid for adult services, the platform then bans the model immediately. It’s about 50/50 on whether or not the customer is banned as well, but they usually get their refund, and now the model is banned. All 3 platforms will also freeze your funds, leading to what can be a months-long struggle to get your money released to you. I know that it is attractive to get money instantly, and the processing charge is much lower than most adult payment processors offer, but sex workers are not welcome on these platforms.
2. Not protecting your privacy
Privacy is the #1 concern for webcam models. While you may be exposing your body for the world to see, you don’t want your online sex worker life to accidentally expose your personal information. Protect yourself from the start by creating a separate online persona for your sex work. Create a stage name, open a separate email account using that name for all work-related communication, set up separate social media accounts, and avoid talking about your family or friends in detail online.
3. Setting unsustainably low rates
When you’re out of work and bills are piling up, you need money NOW. Selling lots of cheap content packages can seem like an easier task than selling a smaller number of more expensive packages–and it is, at least at the beginning. As you continue, you’ll start to realize that you are putting in a lot of time to make fresh content to sell and doing live sessions, but not earning much compared to the hours you’re working. Don’t price in a panic. Sit down and do the math, using our guide to setting your rates.
