Freelancer using click simulator / bot

[drummerjoe]

We have been working with a developer on Upwork for about a year on a new application. He has been producing work during that time. Sometimes it seems much slower than it should be, but because he is building this from scratch and some language barrier issues here and there, we have given some leeway. In reviewing his screenshots, he is definitely always working on code, but I've always had in the back of my mind whether he's just switching between tabs and scrolling around, espcially due to the high activity level on each screenshot. Again, he was producing work so we continued on.

Today I reviewed his work diary from last week, and I saw a screenshot of him setting up a click simulator / automator. He must not have noticed it. This now proves that he has been padding his time, perhaps from the beginning. Maybe he's working part-time, or even subbing out the work, but either way, he has been defrauding us to some extent.

What is our recourse? I know that hourly jobs typically allow disputing each week, but when proof comes out that previous weeks were being faked, I think that we should be able to dispute them as well. 

Any guidance would be appreciated.

[prestonhunter]

re: "Upwork is putting their clients at risk and at the same time rewarding a freelancer that has committed a serious terms and conditions violation."

I don't doubt that you feel disappointed right now.

You wanted that freelancer punished, and you don't feel that he was punished sufficiently, or at all.

Upwork is a very large, global platform.

You hired a freelancer who did some terrible things.

There are probably tens of thousands of freelancers on Upwork who are worse than the one you hired.

You will need to decide between these options:

a) I will continue using Upwork.

b) I will stop using Upwork.

You do NOT have the power to do this:

c) I will ensure that all freelancers on Upwork are honest and honorable.

You don't have the power to do that. Sorry.