Client asks for my tax ID document

agurinov · ‎08-14-2020

After I've done some test job for the client, he was satisfied and ready to hire me for the long term, but he's asking me to send him the scan of my tax number paper. I've sent my tax ID number, but it is not enough, he said he needs proofs that I am eligible to work. It seems like nonsence for me.

I'm interested to be hired, thus I could send him this scan, but before that I'd like to make things clear. Does he have the right to do this? My identity is fully verified by Upwork, it is (and it always was) enough to work with me for more than 30 clients. I don't want to send my documents any strangers from internet unreasonalby.

PS I'm from Russia, he's from Hungary, if it needed

prestonhunter · ‎08-14-2020

Andrey: it is not worth taking the risk to provide that information or scans of documents to a stranger claiming to be an Upwork client. I have completed over 250 jobs on Upwork. No client has ever asked for tax ID number.

Just tell the client: "Yes. I authorize you to contact Upwork directly to get the information you need. My information is on file with them."

petra_r · ‎08-14-2020

Preston H wrote:
Just tell the client: "Yes. I authorize you to contact Upwork directly to get the information you need. My information is on file with them."

Why would you ask him to waste the client's and Upwork's time like that? You know fully well that Upwork will not tell the client anything.

Andrey G wrote:
I don't want to send my documents any strangers from internet unreasonalby.

PS I'm from Russia, he's from Hungary, if it needed

I see no reason why this would have anything to do with the client, but can see several ways this could be abused. Don't send it.

By the way, if the client asked you to do any test task before hiring you, they were in violation of Upwork's terms of service anyway.

prestonhunter · ‎08-14-2020

If a client asks for information such as Tax ID or other documents, then the correct thing to do is to NOT provide those documents to the client. Instead, a freelancer can tell the client that he can contact Upwork Customer Support to get whatever information he needs.

Don't worry.

Upwork is NOT going to provide any client or anybody else with your person Tax ID information or other private information.

The client is probably not even going to contact Upwork Customer Support.

If the client contacts Upwork Customer Support, they will tell the client that he does not need such information. Upwork Customer Support can also confirm for the client that they have the freelancer's information on file.

If this is a real client who is simply following procedures he has followed in other employement situations, then Upwork will be able to educate him a bit, and he probably won't ask for such things again.

Or maybe the client realized: "Oh, this freelancer isn't afraid of having me verify his identity with Upwork itself. I guess I can trust that he is who he says he is."

If this is a scammer or someone trying to steal identity information and documents, then of course they are not going to contact Upwork at all.

agurinov · ‎08-15-2020

Thank you Preston, Petra, and Martina!

He tells me: "send your tax number ID card and or paper you filled out to get your tax number in your country, that proofs that you are eligible to work."

The strange thing is the client is not new on Upwork, he has spent totally over $30,000 since 2015, so he should know all of this. It would be strange to advice such client to contact the support :).

This is the reason I ask the community tell me: could it be any (probably rare) situation, when the client really have to fill my personal info in some his documents? Maybe some restriction for freelancers from Russia or something else, I have no idea...

Thanks all in advance!

martina_plaschka · ‎08-14-2020

Andrey G wrote:
After I've done some test job for the client, he was satisfied and ready to hire me for the long term, but he's asking me to send him the scan of my tax number paper. I've sent my tax ID number, but it is not enough, he said he needs proofs that I am eligible to work. It seems like nonsence for me.

I'm interested to be hired, thus I could send him this scan, but before that I'd like to make things clear. Does he have the right to do this? My identity is fully verified by Upwork, it is (and it always was) enough to work with me for more than 30 clients. I don't want to send my documents any strangers from internet unreasonalby.

PS I'm from Russia, he's from Hungary, if it needed

Does he want to pay your taxes? I can't see any other reason why he would need it.