Since I have browsed through the threads in this forum enough, I know that this is something most people who have been here long enough know.
I'm just posting this because I wish to share the perspective of the Kenyans who engage in this business
Who sells freelance writing the accounts? Who buys them? For how much? What are the motivations?
Usually, anyone with one registered with a writing company can sell one. However, there are some people, brokers, known as TDs (trusted dealers) who buy them from people and advertise them to others in facebook groups, pages and even other forums outside facebook. the primary seller may wish to go through a TD if they do not want to go through the hassle of picking and receiving calls from potential buyers and informing the clueless about the writing industry. Additionally, most TDs often have ready cash and accept even those accounts without a good reputation( too many fines, warnings about plagiarism, warnings about the quality of work, warnings about lateness, etc.)There are a variety of motivations to sell. The main motivation is quick money. The price of accounts ranges from as little as $20 to as much as $4000 (possibly more). The stricter the company in terms of personal information and the tests required to get accepted as a writer, the more expensive it is. For example, companies that hire ENL writers alone tend to be more expensive. There are other factors that determine the price of an account. For example, how much it pays per page and whether writers bid for orders or take them without bidding or are assigned by a support team. Bidding accounts are usually cheaper despite being more flexible in terms of how much one can earn per page and the choice of working hours. Another motivation to sell could occur when a writer no longer wants to work in this industry. Since the market is already available and people do not question the ethics regarding it, the writer may not find it sensible to give up the career without getting some money back.
What are the risks for a seller?
One of the main risks is being defrauded. I don't think I need to explain this. Another risk is that one may not find ready buyers. This rarely happens though.
What are the risks for the buyer?
One of the main risks is the fact that companies that have been in the essay writing business for a long time can be quick to detect such fraud. What this means is that one may buy an account and then have it terminated as soon as they change the password and payment details. It does not help that such accounts tend to be more expensive.
Still on the issue of termination, most Kenyans overestimate their writing skills. This means that they may 'invest' a good amount of money, say $1000, in the accounts in the hopes of earning the same amount within a week or less. However, when they begin to write and submit their essays, the company realizes a significant drop in the quality of papers and terminates the account before the writer has been able to recover the amount 'invested'.
Buyers also face the risk of being defrauded by the sellers.
How can companies curb this?
at this point, I think the business is too far gone in Kenya for companies to consider putting an end to it. However, as stated before, the stricter the company, the more expensive the account. The higher price may be a deterrent especially for people without much experience in the essay writing industry. This could work especially when people learn that the account could easily be terminated. I've also read on a blog somewhere that some companies encourage their writers to guard their accounts and not sell them. I don't think this can work so well because people already know that it is wrong and do it anyway.
Points to note:I have used account and company interchangeably here.
While I have tried my best to remain objective, there may still be some points that are not very accurate since these are my observations.
