Beware! Scam going on for last few days.

[#1]

Community Update | We encourage you to check out this article about staying safe on Upwork. We also recommend visiting Academy to take our New to Upwork Getting Started and Finding Work learning paths.

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Hello,

I just wanted to bring this to everyone's notice.

There are several job postings which typically start with something like "I need someone to convert PDF files into Word (Convert only 10-12 Av size pages daily)" going on rounds in upwork. There is an attachment, a text file which is supposed to be instructions.

On the file it says 

Hi, There is no need to send proposal right away

First contact [name redacted] through telegram at [phone number redacted] or you can send email at [email address redacted] (but response on email will be much slower) then we'll provide you with complete details afterward you decide if you should go for it or not

Thanks and regards

This is a SCAM and intended to fool people into paying the scammer upfront in order to get the job.

I have flagged many such postings but these keep on coming.

Upwork should check this seriously and fix this so that poor freelancers are not scammed. The least they are loosing is their precious "connects". 

It's not hard to search in the attached text file for this content and block these postings. If required you can take my services to add this filter in your job posting form before publishing any job posting.

Be alert! and safe.

Thanks

Joydeep 

**This post has been edited for Community Guidelines**

[#2]

Thanks for helping people.

[#3]

My name is elaine,

As a new freelancer, and not non resident US citizen

How do i receive my money for work done. 

I live in caribbean, the best answer please

[#4]

Hi Elaine, you should create a new thread but as a Nicaraguan, I can help you, I use Payoneer and at the beginning I used Wise, which send money to my country in a local bank, now I use Payoneer Card and its way easier

[#5]

Indeed they are scammers, they stole me $50. They give you an impossible work to complete. 

[#6]

What "poor freelancers"? Are you referencing the people who broke the Terms of Service? Those are not "poor" freelancers, they are people who didn't bother to read and/or follow the basic rules. What would you have Upwork do to force them to not do greedy things?

[#7]

Hey! Should i get this opportunity ? work for you ?

[#8]

You are right. I almost fell in that trap of theirs. I need help with finding jobs on upwork. I'm new here.

[#9]

Joydeep, 

Thank you for the information. I had couple of this invitations and I do not answer or I send you Upwork. 

[#10]

Thank you for this. It was just too good to be true for a beginner like me. 

[#11]

They also say that please contact to  Mr. xxx on telegram via below link.

Fraud 

[#12]

Please follow the below link to watch the project demo **Edited for Community Guidelines**

If you can do it as shown in the video then read the project details from this link (**Edited for Community Guidelines**) and select a project then reply me with your decision about the project (which project have you selected from the given four) Afterward I'll guide you on how you can start.

Thank you. They are scammers 

[#13]

thanks for helping, they are everywhere. I thought something like converting pdf to word in upwork is gonna be legit but God saved me and led me here, I accidentally just came here before I will search their telegram. Once again, many thanks and Godbless you.

[#14]

Hi guys,

                i am zarar kayani from pakistan. i am new in free lancing website and looking the assistance of experienced people to assist me and tell me hw to explore my knowledge as a free lancer.

thanks & Regards

[#15]

Thanks for this post. I almost fell for this scam... I even sent this **Edited for Community Guidelines** an email, asking him to send me proof that they won't just take my money, and he sent me a scanned (?) contract from 2019 with a signature and whatnot.

Be safe everyone!!

[#16]

Thanks so much for this information. Personally am very new to upwork and have tried securing a freelance job for a week now but all in vain. Could someone be generous enough to help me out.

[#17]

You need to read this post and follow every link. It will take you to all the information you need. Learn the Terms of Service and follow them, or risk being scammed and losing your Upwork account permanently.

[#18]

Thank you!! I almost done there but feel curious and found your warning!

[#19]

Hello,

Upwork has changed in the last 1–2 years. There are fewer invitations and fewer jobs, a lot of new freelancers, more connects required to apply, a lot of SCAMMERS, and even when you flag them, Upwork is not helping.

It seems that Upwork is doing its business selling connects, that's why there are jobs that require 4 connects and they allow people to boost their bids with 50 connects or more (especially the new freelancers), and they keep the scam jobs until people post their bids…using connects, of course.

Some suggestions to find real jobs and avoid scammers:

• Don't search jobs only directly at “Find Work”. Go to the “Search for job” space to apply “Filters”.
• One of them is “Payment verified” (although today there are scammers with payment verified and Upwork is not checking it, it could help).
• Other Filter is “Client history”. Check if he posted other jobs, if he hired other freelancers, feedbacks, etc.   
• Check the Date since the client is a member. Usually the scammers are members from the same day they post their jobs, and they didn't hire anyone. 
• DON'T BID for jobs that ask for +20, +40 languages translation, or they publish a list of 15 languages, or invitations too good to be true, even when they have their payment verified. They verify their payment from different countries every day. 
• APPLY TO JOBS THAT FIT YOUR SKILLS. Don't apply to 100 jobs, wasting connects and money.
• ALWAYS CHECK THE CLIENT'S PROFILE before sending a proposal, even when it fits my skills.  
• DON'T APPLY AND DON'T CONTACT if they publish a link (telegram, mail, skype, etc.) outside Upwork.  
• DON'T START WORKING AND/OR DON’T DELIVER ANY WORK if the contract didn't start for Upwork, and until the client has his payment verified and the money funded (specially if it's your first work with this client). 
• DON'T BOOST YOUR BIDS. If you do it, you are paying to Upwork for finding a job instead of earning money from your work. Serious clients will find the best options according to your skills and not according to the amount of bids you use.  
• I suggest not paying for a membership. Just use the 10 connects they give you for free and buy 10 more ($1.5) ONLY when you find a good job for you. 
• I suggest your PROFILE TO BE VISIBLE TO UPWORK MEMBERS AND NOT PUBLIC outside Upwork. This way you avoid people outside Upwork (for example, scammers) to find you and enter for posting a job or inviting you. 

[#20]

Thanks for the heads-up. I believe Upwork should really stand up to change things. If not the platform will be loosing it's value daily.

[#21]

Thank you for the heads up. We appreciate it.

[#22]

thanks for you valuable notice

[#23]

Hi, I just saw another such posting! I looked at the text file as the job poster instructed and it was the same thing you described. I searched their email and found your post. I'm going to report them. Thank you for putting the information out there!

[#24]

I have also noticed these type of jobs. They waste my connects and are scams especially to new freelancers. 

[#25]

Thank you, I was going to join some of these job posts .. but I saw ur warning post