Ask HN: How to start working remotely and not get screwed over?

I'm a senior software engineer working in a traditional office, but getting fed up with the whole "call center" environment and strongly thinking about going remote. My current company is too traditional to allow such a thing, so I would just have to look for another job that does. I've always been self sufficient to be confident that I can pull this off. I have some reservations about the practical side of things, though.

This may sound pessimistic, but say that I get a remote job with another company in another country. What if I work there for a month and then the company ditches me without even paying my salary? Does that happen at all, what's the likelihood? It would not be worth escalating such a case, because it would cost more time and money than it's worth. How do you protect yourself with things like that ant others?