Fake profiles and Freelancers with no history asking hourly pay. (** scam)

[Nnamdi I]

Hi I just wanted to warn users that a scam is going around on UpWork. Maybe its been around and I just dont know since I'm new but pretty much the scam is that you post a job and people (usually with little history) apply to it. If you accept them they will request hourly over fixed payment. This ensures that they get paid atleast once before they get caught. The accounts like to pose as Europeans but are based in China. out of 3 jobs I hired all 3 hire were scammers. I cant tell you how I figured it out without losing money (just incase they browse these forums), but always have atleast one video call before hiring someone. Dont ever accept not being able to view their face atleast once live.

[Gabriel B]

Well, I know I'm from Europe and will be mostly likely to go or suggest hourly payment.

But I agree with having Skype video calls. Even though most likely the partner's Internet won't allow 4K video streaming.

[Nnamdi I]

The issue isnt hourly the issue is them requesting it despite having no UpWork history, and the lack of wanting to video call.

[Tiffany S]

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@Nnamdi I wrote:

The issue isnt hourly the issue is them requesting it despite having no UpWork history, and the lack of wanting to video call.

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 Most freelancers who are concerned about working with strangers over the Internet request hourly payment, since fixed price contracts offer them no protection and it is quite easy for clients to take their work and then decline to pay for it. 

Your initial post makes it seem as if a scam freelancer will get one freebie payment if you use an hourly contract, but that's only true if you fail to review their screenshots and work diary and match that up to the work that has been submitted to you. Since you have nearly a week to make that comparison and dispute hours before any payment is made to the freelancer, it's super-easy to ensure that you're getting what you're paying for before any money changes hands. 

[Vladimir G]

Hi Nnamdi,

I'm sorry about your experience with the freelancers you interacted with. I checked and see you have one paused Hourly contract and one completed Fixed-Price contracts, and haven't issued any payments yet. Regarding your Hourly contract, if there's an issue with the time your freelancer logged, please use the Dispute button under Time and Payments tab in the Workroom and our team will follow up and review. 

I'd like to have our team review the profiles you suspect are using a fake identity, so could you please submit a support request with profile links, screenshots of your communication and any other relevant information our team could benefit from during the review process? I can assure you that using a fake identity is not allowed on Upwork and we'll address any profile found to be in violation of this policy and Upwork ToS.

Please note that clients can avoid the issues you outlined on Hourly contracts by setting a weekly limit and regularly reviewing the Work Diary. Feel free to contact our Customer Support team if you need help or advice about how to proceed with your Hourly contract.

[Kelvin G]

I also flagged a freelancer with a fake profile picture and name yesterday and nothing has been done till now. 

[Rene K]

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@Kelvin G wrote:

I also flagged a freelancer with a fake profile picture and name yesterday and nothing has been done till now. 

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You can't tell. They may hide the profile from the platform and even deactivate it, and you can still see it if you have the direct link.

And sometimes it takes them more than 24 hours to act.

[Gabriel B]

I started with hourly payments without having any history on this platform as well. And I don't remember having a video call for the job, even though I would've liked that.

Oh well, guess I'm one of the few.

[Elba A]

Every Freelance had to start somewhere, I mean with no history at all.

My first hourly contract (my second) was a short thing, the client ask how many hours? I said just 1, it's more than enough, he set that limit (I think he did not trust me, and that's more than fine) after job is finished he even gave a bonus. My second hourly contract (my fifth) turns out with the same client, in this point he set 40 hours a week and manual time allowed, did I use all that time because if was set? of course not, I only logged the real hours needed for the job to be completed.  I don't know if client checked the work dairy,  I think he did, as every client must, unless and until a trust relation is developped, and no one did a video/call first, I would no mind either, if client prefered that way to peace their mind.

[Nnamdi I]

I get that but its simply too easy to creat an account. If you really want to stad out as a new hire you have to be 100% honest and have a way for the client to verify who you claim to be