Oh yes, I do. I have been duped about 12 times during my 6 years as a Freelance Writer.

The amounts have ranged from $10 to $1600.

So, I do charge an advance. For small amounts below $100 or INR 5000/-, I charge a 100% upfront Payment.

For larger transactions I charge a 50% advance and the balance 50% before delivering the final set of articles.

For SEO services, the payment is 100% upfront depending on the contract period that you choose.

I hope that answers your queries.