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ebdb85c5
Community Member

Being approached by contractors outside of Upwork

Hi,

 

I frequently post jobs on UpWork and most of the time it works out really well. The other week I posted a job related to development and I was being approached outside of UpWork by people who figured out my phone number, LinkedIn or email. These guys were all from India. Some even contacted my client who I made the design for. 

 

I was absolutely infuriated by this and embarrassed that I had to answer this to my client. 

 

I removed everything related to my client and my contact details from UpWork, and added that I would not tolerate this approach and block/report anyone who violated this. 


But can I block/report someone like this? How do I prevent this? 

 

Thanks in advance. 

20 REPLIES 20
petra_r
Community Member


Nick B wrote:

How do I prevent this? 


Set your job to "Upwork users only" and do not include any identifying details in your job post at all.

 

ebdb85c5
Community Member

Hi Petra, thank you but that is exactly what I did.

petra_r
Community Member


Nick B wrote:

Hi Petra, thank you but that is exactly what I did.


Then how did they identify you and your client?

Upwork do not show any identifying details to those looking at your job post.

 

ebdb85c5
Community Member

There was a contact page with my client's contacts included in the design, last time I ever do that again. 

 

I assume they figured out my number by Googling my company name and find my LinkedIn. Seems a bit much to remove my email/phone number from my LinkedIn profile just so contractors from UpWork can't find me anymore. Smiley Frustrated

petra_r
Community Member


Nick B wrote:

 

I assume they figured out my number by Googling my company name and find my LinkedIn. Seems a bit much to remove my email/phone number from my LinkedIn profile just so contractors from UpWork can't find me anymore. Smiley Frustrated


Your company name is not shown to applicants until you actually talk to them during the interview stage.

 


Nick B wrote:

There was a contact page with my client's contacts included in the design, last time I ever do that again. 


yup 🙂 - it's a sea full of sharks out there.

ebdb85c5
Community Member

That makes it even more weird - how the hell do they figure out my contact details? Thanks for responding btw. 


Nick B wrote:

That makes it even more weird - how the hell do they figure out my contact details? Thanks for responding btw. 


Strong Google-fu and desperation.


Nick B wrote:

That makes it even more weird - how the hell do they figure out my contact details? Thanks for responding btw. 


Sometimes the only thing you need is your company being named in a review, even just your name plus your location.

That's what I do when I research a client before submitting a proposal, it works in 40% of the cases.

mtngigi
Community Member


Nick B wrote:

That makes it even more weird - how the hell do they figure out my contact details? Thanks for responding btw. 


Nick,

 

You can also be found by using your photo on Google's "reverse image search".  If you use the same photo on LinkedIn, etc, that's another way in.

Virginia! You're a guru indeed. I thought I knew my way around research and have just learnt from your response.  It's amazing--thanks for the response. 


Rocio G wrote:

Virginia! You're a guru indeed. I thought I knew my way around research and have just learnt from your response.  It's amazing--thanks for the response. 


Research...AKA cyber-stalking...

I suppose it could be considered cyber-stalking but nevertheless, a good tip to be aware of. 🙂 

But you can’t see any profile picture when you send a proposal, only if the client decides to interview you.
ebdb85c5
Community Member

Hi Virginia, I never would've thought of that. Thanks! 


Nick B wrote:

Hi Petra, thank you but that is exactly what I did.


Like the saying goes, take care not to point a finger at, because the remaining four are pointing at you.

No matter how hard you try to accuse Upwork, or otherwise imply that they leaked your (or information that led to the finding out of) your private info to the freelancers, it will come back to you.

 

Speaking of what you said above, have you always done that for each and every job post you made? Given that you presently cannot make a job post private from public mode after it's been closed, what makes you think one of the freelancers didn't just pull up that info from one of your past job postings?

 

And, did your freelancers never in the past mention your name or your company name in their public feedback to you?

 

There are a tonne of ways this coule have happened, arising directly from an action (or inaction) of yours, so grab some long rest, forget about it for a while, and you'll finally remember where you caused the lapse.

I don't recall accusing Upwork or anyone else other than myself and the people who approached me outside of UpWork, but fair enough. I guess there are a lot of ways for people to find my details. 

 

Nonetheless, my initial question was if anyone knew how to deal with this or prevent this from happening. But thanks for the long message anyway Smiley Wink


Nick B wrote:

I don't recall accusing Upwork or anyone else other than myself and the people who approached me outside of UpWork, but fair enough. I guess there are a lot of ways for people to find my details. 

 

Nonetheless, my initial question was if anyone knew how to deal with this or prevent this from happening. But thanks for the long message anyway Smiley Wink


Of course you may never have explicitly and forthrightly accused Upwork of causing this dreaded breach in privacy you experienced. You also need not have any specific recollection of having done that.

 

But you repeatedly ruled yourself out as having been a possible cause of this breach. What did that imply? If it's not you, then who?

 

And, there was nothing long about my post. Ransack the forums a little, and you will find the true longreads.

 

 

 

Indeed, your main question was "how to deal with this or prevent this from happening"

When you find out what specific (in)action by whom brought about that breach in privacy, you would have answered that critical question.

My dearest keyboard warrior, you and your fancy words should go and find another battle. I'm not here to fight one so this is my last reply to you. Have a great day.  

Speaking of suggestions, Nick, if you'd like your freelancers to absolutely never mention your name or company name in their public feedback, you may want to sign an NDA that requires this of them.

Though that might look weird, but I thought we are supposed to recourse to law to solve all problems?


Abinadab A wrote:

Nick B wrote:

Hi Petra, thank you but that is exactly what I did.


Like the saying goes, take care not to point a finger at, because the remaining four are pointing at you.

No matter how hard you try to accuse Upwork, or otherwise imply that they leaked your (or information that led to the finding out of) your private info to the freelancers, it will come back to you.

 

Was there anything at all in the original post that led you to believe that OP was accusing anyone (other than the contractors who contacted him) of anything, or did you just have a rant built up and nowhere to put it?

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