I'm a freelance writer. A Russian media operation targeted and used me

PeaceData, seemingly a leftwing news outlet, offered me a column. I should have known it was too good to be true

On 8 July, I was contacted via direct message on Twitter by a man who introduced himself as an associate editor for PeaceData. @Alex_Lacusta described his organization as a young, progressive global news outlet that was seeking young and aspiring writers" and was looking to grow its presence on social media. Would I want to write a weekly column and be paid $200 to $250 per piece?

My interest was piqued. I had lost my part-time job in the food industry amid the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, and I was in need of income and an outlet to build my portfolio. The opportunity to write a column could be the break I was hoping for.