Divine Write Copywriting Forum

On occasions a sly submission request gets under the radar.
A competitive submission has been shopped out to numerous sources and the person who has asked you to participate did not make this clear to you at the outset – and most probably made a considered decision to conceal from you the fact that other parties would also be approached.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing – but being keen to get a brief and to provide quick service, particularly when there is a genuine reason for urgency - the preferred protocol can easily be set aside
I have often vowed never to accept a brief other than in writing – and always to ask at the outset whether anyone else has also been approached – and if so what the submission fee is.
My strict policy is: no fee - no submission. I’m not an advertising agency, have no budget for submissions and no real way to pick up the lost time and costs associated with putting a submission together.
What do you do to prevent getting conned – and what should you do when you are?