Collaborating with brands on sponsored content requires trust, transparency, and professionalism. Unfortunately, our recent experience with Engwe Bikes —or with individuals claiming to act on their behalf— has become a clear example of the risks such partnerships can entail.
In early May 2025, we received an email from someone identifying herself as Amelia. She introduced herself as a subcontractor handling linkbuilding for Engwe. Although we had no prior knowledge of her, nor any direct agreement with the brand, she claimed to be working on their behalf.
Amelia inquired about guest post opportunities, requested our rates, and asked whether we accepted cryptocurrency as payment. We informed her of our standard policy: we only accept bank transfers, and payment must be made once the article is approved, but before any further content is published. She agreed, submitted an article, and we proceeded with publication after issuing the invoice.
From that point on, communication became inconsistent. She made repeated promises of payment that never materialized. She pushed to publish more articles before settling the initial invoice — a request we firmly declined. She claimed her agency only processes payments at the end of the month, and we agreed to that timeline on the condition that no further work would proceed without prior payment.
The payment never came.
After several reminders, we sent a final notice explaining that, without payment, we would remove the article and publicly outline the difficulties encountered. She never replied.
We then contacted Engwe’s official support directly. Their response was that they knew nothing about the matter, did not know Amelia, and had not commissioned any such work. In other words, they completely distanced themselves. Engwe has no office or legal presence in Spain, and from the rest of their supposed operations —if any exist beyond the brand name— no one has taken any responsibility.
This case also highlights a growing problem: the lack of consumer protections when purchasing from websites that have no physical presence or real support in Spain. When something goes wrong —a defective product, a failed service, or an unresolved complaint— the customer is left unprotected, with no clear legal address to turn to and no local entity to speak with. Distance and legal ambiguity become insurmountable obstacles, and far too often, the only response is silence.
This episode illustrates the dangers of working with companies that outsource communication without oversight and fail to honor even basic agreements. We urge other media outlets and content creators to proceed with caution before engaging with Engwe Bikes.
What begins as a seemingly standard collaboration can quickly become a trail of unanswered emails, unpaid invoices, and empty promises.
Watch your step with this brand.
