Identity Verified badge soon required for all earning freelancers

[Andy H]

Good morning, Upwork.

Could someone please tell me what you require from those living abroad. The only photo ID I have from the host country are my two official driving licenses. Non-photo ID includes:

• Bank account (both countries)
• Vehicle registration document
• Lease agreement:
  

From my home country, the only photo ID I have is a valid passport. Non-photo ID includes:

• Driving license (old paper type, but still valid)
• UK national insurance number

Please advise so that I can prepare quality scans for whatever documents you need.

Thank you in advance,

Andy H

[Avery O]

Hi Andy, 

For this verification, you are requested to submit a valid government ID. You may refer to this help article for more information. 

Here's a link for more information about the ID Verification Badge. 

[Andy H]

Thank you, Avery.

[Lisa T]

Will we just be verified and then the ID and video deleted? If the point is just to verify, after that is done there is no point in keeping the ID and video...or is there? Is there something else that will be done with our information? Sold to other companies? After we are verified there is no further need for that info.

Also, what questions will we need to answer in this video interview?

[Vladimir G]

Thanks for reaching out Lisa. All the information you submit when verifying your identity is kept secure. Access to your information is reserved exclusively for Upwork agents who have passed strict background checks and our third-party vendor. Our system stores your ID image for 30 days with exceptions in cases of fraud.

Regarding the video call questions, freelancers are asked a few questions about the information in their profile. 

[David P]

As I do not have a camera attached to my pc, and have no plans to do so, I presume I will not be able to complete the ID verification, unless their is another method I can use.

[David P]

I meant 'there', of course!

[Denise M]

Is there any way to avoid uploading an image of our ID? I'm really not comfortable with that. 

[Aleksandar D]

Hi Denise,

Thanks for reaching out to us. I'm sorry to hear that you are uncomfortable with this process. In general, Upwork has security measures in place, and teams dedicated to ensuring the security of the Upwork platform and your information. We continue to refine these systems and processes so we stay ahead of any site attacks.

Also, all the information you submit when verifying your identity is kept secure. Access to your information is reserved exclusively for Upwork agents who have passed strict background checks and our third-party vendor. Our system stores your ID image for 30 days with exceptions in cases of fraud.

Thank you.

[Emma M]

I'm not entirely impressed about this. Who is the third party? What is their history of being hacked? Why are our details being kept for 30 days? You should need to do no more than check a photo, you shouldn't need to keep my details on file for 30 days. How have you guaranteed the system won't be hacked? What background checks have your staff been through? How can you guarantee that they still won't sell on details? What country are these staff from that will be checking our ID's? Are you going to take responsibility if we end up dealing with identity fraud because your supposedly safe systems have been hacked?

In regards to the videos, are you going to make us do this during US time? So those anywhere else in the world need to do the checks at some stupid hour of the night? 

It seems to me that Upwork may be the ones wanting to **Edited for Community Guidelines**. First of all, you want us to pay to apply for jobs (which is a big red flag - the general consensus is that you don't pay to apply for work and if someone wants you to pay to apply for work, they are running a scam) and then you want our ID's that contain enough details for someone to steal our identities. The documents you are asking for, at least in my country, include a signature and many, many people would not be comfortable handing over these details to some unknown people or company.

Do Upwork employees have to have the same identity checks? Are your CEO and directors having their identities run through the same system? What about job posters? If not, why not? Why are freelancers being singled out and having their details put at risk?