Client got suspended and upwork send refund to client

[a_moudud]

Well client posted a job. I applied and he hired me. I did the job and he release the payment. It was showing on my pending balance. Then upwork suspend the client account and give him refund of from my balance. There is no complaints for my work from client. He even give me a tip 20$.
Where is my fault? Why i have to suffer.

Total was 820$ with out tax.

[tinker_bell3]

Hi Ahmed,

I can see that you already have an open ticket regarding this issue. One of our agents will update your ticket and assist you further. 

[rverang]

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Ahmed M wrote:
Well client posted a job. I applied and he hired me. I did the job and he release the payment. It was showing on my pending balance. Then upwork suspend the client account and give him refund of from my balance. There is no complaints for my work from client. He even give me a tip 20$.
Where is my fault? Why i have to suffer.

Total was 820$ with out tax.

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I see it's a crypto job that started yesterday...?

What was the "job"? Not buying crypto, right?

[a_lipsey]

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Ahmed M wrote:
Well client posted a job. I applied and he hired me. I did the job and he release the payment. It was showing on my pending balance. Then upwork suspend the client account and give him refund of from my balance. There is no complaints for my work from client. He even give me a tip 20$.
Where is my fault? Why i have to suffer.

Total was 820$ with out tax.

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If it was crypto then it was likely a scam. The credit card the client used was probably fraudulent. 

[a_moudud]

Where is my fault in it?

[martina_plaschka]

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Ahmed M wrote:
Where is my fault in it?

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What you did is not allowed under upwork's terms of service since they consider it payment outside of upwork. Upwork did not refund any money, it was never paid, since the client likely used a fraudulent credit card or other means of payment. 

[a_moudud]

The payment is made through this platform

[martina_plaschka]

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Ahmed M wrote:
The payment is made through this platform

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There was no payment. This is a common scam. If you didn't buy crypto for him with your own money, you have not lost anything except a little of your time. 

[a_moudud]

So what was in escrow, what he realeased and what was showing in my pending balances?

[a_moudud]

In that case, what is the solution?

[martina_plaschka]

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Ahmed M wrote:
In that case, what is the solution?

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Hoping that your profile does not get suspended for violating ToS. 

[a_lipsey]

What was the actual work that you performed? 

Did you purchase crytocurrency for him from your own money to be reimbursed through Upwork? That is what people (and myself) are referring to that is against the guidelines, and that is what many of the job posts around cryptocurrency are - and they are scams. 

Was there some other work that you performed related to this job? 

[a_moudud]

I adviced him on a crypto project. So, a client can post a job. Verify the payment method. Then can release the payment and after all that he got suspended and i have to refund him?
Why the post is accepted here on the first place?

[martina_plaschka]

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Ahmed M wrote:
I adviced him on a crypto project. So, a client can post a job. Verify the payment method. Then can release the payment and after all that he got suspended and i have to refund him?
Why the post is accepted here on the first place?

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You didn't refund him. His payment was likely fraudulent. 

I can't see the job posting, but I'm willing to bet it didn't say "I'm a scammer trying to steal your money." If it did, upwork's algorithm likely would have found it. Job postings don't look like scams, even if they are. 

Upwork relies on freelancers flagging job postings that don't look right, and to adhere to the terms of service. Upwork reacted quickly once they found the credit card didn't work and suspended the client, so no other freelancers can fall for this scam. 

[a_moudud]

And what about the one, who already did work with him? So a fraud can release the payment from escrow account without paying anything!?

[martina_plaschka]

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Ahmed M wrote:
And what about the one, who already did work with him? So a fraud can release the payment from escrow account without paying anything!?

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I don't know the client's former history of hiring freelancers. He might have posted and paid for legitimate jobs, who knows. 

[pradeephele]

Hello Ahmed,

Thank you for your message. I am sorry to hear about your recent experience with a client. I see that the relevant team has already notified you about this action via a support ticket here and you are already following up on your concern. One of our team members will reach out to you as soon as possible to assist you further. Please don't hesitate to follow up with them on your support ticket if you have additional questions regarding your concern. 

Thank you.

Pradeep

[petra_r]

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Ahmed M wrote:
I adviced him on a crypto project. 

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"Advice" to the value of $820 in a single day? And that didn't seem suspicious to you at all?

In general, when something seems too good to be true, it always is.

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Ahmed M wrote:
Why the post is accepted here on the first place?

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Job posts aren't checked. It's up to you to use your common sense to determine if something makes sense. For a (real) client to pay you via Upwork to send crypto to them literally makes no sense at all, so it's clear that it is a scam.

Ahmed M wrote:
And what about the one, who already did work with him? 

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That person will be in the same situation as you are.

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Ahmed M wrote:
a fraud can release the payment from escrow account without paying anything!?

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Probably a stolen credit card or hacked account

[petra_r]

Let's keep it real here... You didn't get paid to give advice. You know it and we know it. You got paid to send crypto (in itself a violation of Upwork's ToS).

[a_moudud]

So he can verify and also release the payment? How to check that?

[a_moudud]

If he stole it, what can i do? Is there any way i can check, is it stolen or not? I dont think so.

[petra_r]

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Ahmed M wrote:
If he stole it, what can i do? Is there any way i can check, is it stolen or not? I dont think so.

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Basically, if something seems too good to be true (and especially if it involves you sending money to someone) you (should) know that it is (of course) a scam. 

[martina_plaschka]

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Ahmed M wrote:
If he stole it, what can i do? Is there any way i can check, is it stolen or not? I dont think so.

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When the amount disappears from your profile, you know it. 

[petra_r]

So, Ahmed, how much crypto did you send him?