Client Cheated

[v_sachdeva]

I shared all the files over Upwork one after the other and updated the same to my client over whatsapp every time I did that. And, every time he responded by sharing his reviews like " i liked it", "all good"...

Now after the invoice was raised, suddenly he felt he wouldnt use it and rejected my work in totality. What can i do?

For obvious reasons he never responded over Upwork I guess.

Can I be duped of this money? He has asked for a refund and I sure am not going to do that.

This is my first gig on the platform and considering his good reviews I had requested him to share a good feedback for me once the contract ended. This has left me truly disheartened.

Please guide on what can I do. I have alreday raised a request with Upwork Support to connect with me.

[robin_hyman]

You don't have to give a refund. How much money is this for?

[v_sachdeva]

Robin this was on the lower side of $100. Since its my first gig, I really dont know how this works actually...if I cancel/reject refund, will I be getting the dues in my account or can he any how hold that by any means?

[robin_hyman]

---

Vandana S wrote:

Robin this was on the lower side of $100. Since its my first gig, I really dont know how this works actually...if I cancel/reject refund, will I be getting the dues in my account or can he any how hold that by any means?

---

If you cancel the refund, he can't hold the money. It was already put into escrow. He can, however, dispute. 

Here is some information about the dispute process:

https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211062158-Dispute-an-Agency-or-Freelancer-s-Hours

Personally, if I did the work as asked, I would not refund. If you end up refunding, the client can still provide negative feedback which will have a greater impact on your JSS (when you get one) than public feedback. 

In the future, do a better job of screening clients. Read previous reviews the client gave and also received. Use the Upwork chat feature to have a discovery call where you ask questions and establish a connection with the client. 

Hope it works out for you.