A client I was working on a project with is actively using a logo I submitted that he didn't pay for

[kaceybridges]

I swear this is not a flashback story where the record scratches and I say, "You're probably wondering how I got here right?" But just hear me out though.

So ever since my career started way back in the day, I was always told to watch out for folks who might end up stealing my work without compensating me for it - never happened though so I always thought everything was hunky dory.

Till I met my client **Edited for Community Guidelines** this year, and the guy ended up making so many requests that I couldn't bring myself to continue working on his project any further within the budget he had so I ended the contract. Always had a feeling that he's the kind of guy who will end up stealing/copying my work idk why and lo behold! Even though I deleted my submissions right after I ended the contract so that he can't steal/copy them - he did exactly that (had it saved on his phone maybe?).

His site for his business **Edited for Community Guidelines** went live and he's using the logo with 3 minor changes to the typography and everything else looks exactly the same. Upon bringing it up with the client, he initially says that he had no clue that it looks similar to mine. Then it changes to "I took your idea and made it better".

Safe to say, he doesn't regret it at all.

Reported this to Upwork but I'm yet to hear back from them, so with that I ask - how is my work/intellectual property safe on this platform? I mean I get it that my work could always be copied through various means but I'm just curious as to what action could be taken against a person who is this non-chalant about stealing other people's works and is an active user on Upwork?

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[prestonhunter]

If you try to do something about this, you won't succeed.

I don't blame you if you are displeased. But you won't benefit from pursuing this.

It is a logo. Not a photo. Not a video. And he is not even using the logo file you sent him.

Sorry.

re: "how is my work/intellectual property safe on this platform?"

Upwork has rules in place that state that the work you do belongs to you if the client doesn't pay for it. But Upwork is not an "intellectual property protection" tool. There are limits as to what it can do.

Let me offer you this:

If you take the logo file you created... and change the name of the company to something that is generic or a placeholder, then you can put that logo in your portfolio. Nobody will prevent you from doing that or come after you for doing so, no matter how similar it is to the logo that this former client is now using.

[feed_my_eyes]

Well, you can certainly tell the client that since the design wasn't paid for, it still belongs to you and you might just sell it to another client. If he wants to prevent that from happening, then he'll need to pay you.