15-Year-Old Developer Seeks Advice After Losing Freelance Income to Scams

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A 15-year-old self-taught developer has shared their struggle to earn money from programming after transitioning away from informal family-friend gigs. The teenager claims to have built full websites for startups but has since been repeatedly scammed and left unpaid for completed work. Their monthly income has dropped from a previous range of $300–$500 to nothing. Having tried platforms like Discord and Reddit without success, they are now questioning whether a career in programming is viable. The post asks the developer community for any practical advice on finding legitimate, paid work.

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