Testing video chat profile verification

[Garnor M]

We recently began testing a new method for verifying freelancer’s profile details. Unfortunately, sometimes we see fraudulent profiles, and to prevent this, on occasion we need to verify the information a freelancer has included in their profile. With this new program, some freelancers may be asked to join a brief video chat with an Upwork representative. During this video call, which should take less than 3 minutes, our representative will ask a few questions to confirm some of the information entered by the freelancer on his/her profile.

If you are selected for this test, the request to join a video chat will be sent to you via email. Simply follow the instructions outlined in that message to join our representative for the call.

This program is still being tested, so we're not expanding it to all freelancers or clients at this time. We're evaluating this program as part of our ongoing efforts to protect all our users and better ensure Upwork is the trusted environment for freelancers and clients to connect and collaborate.

[Wassim T]

This is amazing Garnor. Thank you!

Can I have a suggestion please? Is it possible to extend the program to confirm the information about spoken languages freelancers list under their profile? That would be really amazing. I see a lot of contractors who come to the forum and write their first threads with weird and crazy English sentences. They often have "English: Excellent" under their profiles.

I know there's tests out there to verify this information, but honestly speaking the tests are not enough because sometimes it's easy to cheat, but if there's a way that an Upwork representative can SPEAK to them while they're being verified, this gives enough information for Upwork to decide whether their statements are correct or not, and adjust that piece of information accordingly.

Imagine how amazingly the platform will improve if clients know in advance that people who bid on their jobs and list excellent English skills in their profiles are really excellent English speakers.

Best regards,
Wassim

[Vladimir G]

Hi Wassim,

Thank you for sharing this suggestion. While I can see some positive results from confirming users' info in this way, I don't expect our team will consider making this improvement in the near future, for a number of factors that come into play when testing a specific skill. Duolingo tests include a video feature and are far more adequate than any other manual assessment of users' skills. Our team will keep working to ensure users provide honest and accurate information in their profiles.

[Dmytro A]

Good day! Please verify my page.

[Valeria K]

Hi Dmytro,

Please, refer to the notification that was sent to you earlier today for instructions and links you need to complete your profile verification. You can find that notification in your email inbox or on this page under my requests.

[Ro M]

This sounds nice. May I suggest you also check out this thread and consider imposing more serious sanctions (such as withholding payments) to freelancers that create fake profiles and/or state fake credentials. I'd also suggest focusing on automatic means of assesing freelancer profiles as 3 minutes of video chat seems like a lot of resources.

[Blake M]

     Ro,

      Withholding payment, without the recipients consent, of wages for services performed is a very BAD idea. This could, and probably would, violate local, state and federal wage laws. Failing to pay these wages is a crime known as wage theft and I would be shocked if Upwork actually engaged in such activity. A lot of states allow employees who have not been paid the wages they are due to file wage claim complaints with state work commision(s) who can then, at their discretion, begin serious investigations. No this would not be a good idea. Some other method really needs to be considered.

                                                                             Blake M.

[Salma K]

Blake, 

I totally agree.

I think UpWork is waiting for an action lawsuit. 

[Moneer B]

I definitely agree. 

Upwork is pushing it.

It is bad management to launch such an initiative when they have so many means of verification other than this. It is intrusive, to say the least.

[Rene K]

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@Moneer B wrote:

It is bad management to launch such an initiative when they have so many means of verification other than this. It is intrusive, to say the least.

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Don't do it. You should never do something you're not comfortable with. Don't feel having a video chat? Don't do it. Leave your account suspended and go someplace else where they don't have video calls for identity verification.

Upwork is not meant to please everyone and there are many other online platforms for freelancers on the Internet.

Easy peasy.