Bait & Switch

[#1]

For the second time in a week, I have engaged with a female developer (as a woman-owned business, it is important to me to support other woman-owned businesses), and after several messages when we get to the point where we need to Zoom to screenshare project contents, they say, "Oh, by the way, it will be my husband on the  Zoom." Both of these people very specifically say on their profiles that it is them with the experience and that it is them that will be doing the work. How do I report this deceptive practice?

[#2]

Every freelancer profile page has a "Flag as inappropriate" link button. It will be clearly visible in the top right corner, or can be found under the Three Dots icon.

Use this to report a freelancer for presenting fake information on their profile.

[#3]

I saw that option; it didn't feel totally appropriate for the issue. When you click it, does it give you options to choose from as far as what the issue is? I don't want to get them in trouble or kicked off the platform. I do, however, want them to be required to represent themselves honestly.

[#4 · Accepted solution]

re: "it didn't feel totally appropriate for the issue"

It is exactly appropriate for the issue.

There is a specific option for this:

re: "I don't want to get them in trouble or kicked off the platform. I do, however, want them to be required to represent themselves honestly."

We are talking about women who have absolutely no idea how to do the type of work you need done, but who are claiming to know how to do that work.

Nobody is going to force you to report them.

But if you want to report them, this is the best way to do it.

If you want them to be "required to represent themselves honestly," then they would need to post on their profile: "I don't know how to do any programming, but my husband knows how to do some things, and he wanted me to create an additional profile and bid for jobs which I am not going to work on, but maybe he will have time to work on."

[#5]

Agreed, I will do so. Thank you Preston.

[#6]

Hi Christian,

Thanks for flagging this. Could you please click on my name and send me a PM with more information about this report including the evidence? I'll be sure to escalate it to the correct team.

When you see a violation of the Upwork Terms of Service like the case you're reporting, we encourage you to use the Report Suspicious User Activity feature.

[#7]

Hi Bojan. I sent you screenshots, and I will "Report as Inappropriate" under the applicable subcategory.

Thank you!