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ilannamandel
Community Member

Client making false accusations

Hello Again;

 

This relates to the same client who won't send me the final work to complete. He keeps making the charge that I sent "highly plagiarized content". In the modules I wrote, I used some of my own original writing for the reading passages. Those were published. As well, I used quotes from various websites. These were all used with permission, and I cited every one of them. Yet, some software he used cited these as plagiarism. Now, he keeps making the charge and saying the work was problematic. They won't send the final work for edits and say it's my fault. 

 

Suggestions please!

ACCEPTED SOLUTION


ILANNA M wrote:

Sorry, for being so out of the loop, but what is a JSS? 


That's your job success score 🙂

 


ILANNA M wrote:

The owner literally threatened me and said I'm a "pain in the ass". 

Feels really abusive to me.


It *IS* abusive and you want to report that, with proof, along with any other abisive communication, to Support.

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15 REPLIES 15
colettelewis
Community Member


ILANNA M wrote:

Hello Again;

 

This relates to the same client who won't send me the final work to complete. He keeps making the charge that I sent "highly plagiarized content". In the modules I wrote, I used some of my own original writing for the reading passages. Those were published. As well, I used quotes from various websites. These were all used with permission, and I cited every one of them. Yet, some software he used cited these as plagiarism. Now, he keeps making the charge and saying the work was problematic. They won't send the final work for edits and say it's my fault. 

 

Suggestions please!


_____________________

Ilanna,

 

Is this an hourly or fixed-rate contract? If it is the latter have you been paid up to now for the work you have done? 

prestonhunter
Community Member

re: "He keeps making the charge that I sent 'highly plagiarized content'."

 

You already know he is running one of those plagiarism checkers like Copyscape that just does text string matching and returns a number: "This is 30% plagiarized."

 

Obviously this is dumb. You know that.

 

But the client is fixated on the numbers from this software.

 

Have you tried writing a brief note thanking him for this observation, and then pointing out that the numbers he is seeing are not accurate indicators of plagiarism, but are the result of the documents you provided being high-quality and properly cited? Something very short and positive? It is POSSIBLE he will be honorable enough to accept this.

 

On the other hand, he may be nothing more than a goofball who wants articles created by "spinners" who craft their questionably obtained material purely for the purpose of garnering low Copyscape numbers. If that's who this client is... I don't know what to tell you, because that's not the kind of service that you provide.

 

I guess you could offer to re-work the piece without any quoted material. Which diminishes the legitimacy of what you are providing to him, but may meet his expectations. You can still provide proper citations and attribution.

 

And then after you get paid for this, don't do any more work for him if he is asking you to use a style of writing that you're not comfortable with.

Yes, originally I did thank him and then I put everything I wrote through Grammarly prior to sending it into him to ensure the work is clean. Even though I know it is, but I wanted him to know I'd taken that step. But, he's still complaining about it. 

 

He paid for the first half of the work, but is withholding the final piece for me to edit. I suspect he's doing this on purpose. He said if I complain he'll counter-complain that I'm a plagiarist. So, I don't know what to do because I've submitted the work but he put this "request changes" on the final fee, but won't send the work to be changed. 

 

Really frustrated with this! Any advice here?

Close the job. Leave an honest feedback for other freelancers.

Or, refund everything and keep the work your portfolio.


ILANNA M wrote:

Yes, originally I did thank him and then I put everything I wrote through Grammarly prior to sending it into him to ensure the work is clean. Even though I know it is, but I wanted him to know I'd taken that step. But, he's still complaining about it. 

 

He paid for the first half of the work, but is withholding the final piece for me to edit. I suspect he's doing this on purpose. He said if I complain he'll counter-complain that I'm a plagiarist. So, I don't know what to do because I've submitted the work but he put this "request changes" on the final fee, but won't send the work to be changed. 

 

Really frustrated with this! Any advice here?


___________________________

I agree with Jennifer, only don't refund. You have done the work, and you should be paid for it. If you refund,  your JSS will be dinged quite badly. 

 

If your client disputes, do everything CS tells you to do, and if it comes to arbitration (which would be a bore) call your client's bluff. (I'm assuming that this is a fixed-price job). If it was an hourly job using the tracker, then simply close the contract and leave feedback. I don't think you should go on working for this person,who is also threatening you, which is against Upwork's ToS.  

Hi Again;

 

Sorry, for being so out of the loop, but what is a JSS? 

 

At this point the client has not asked for a refund, and we're still working to finish. But their editor has a sick family member, and is severely over-worked which is taking a lot of time. Also, he claims problems that aren't there. Example: One of the deliverables was a 100 question quiz. I completed that. He emailed yesterday and said it was 2 questions short. So, I went through it again and there are exactly 100 questions. I sent them proof. They don't apologize, but claim "other" problems. So, I'm still trying to work with them, but they are really harsh to work with. The owner literally threatened me and said I'm a "pain in the ass". 

Feels really abusive to me. But, I need the earnings. Ugh!

Ilanna


ILANNA M wrote:

Sorry, for being so out of the loop, but what is a JSS? 


That's your job success score 🙂

 


ILANNA M wrote:

The owner literally threatened me and said I'm a "pain in the ass". 

Feels really abusive to me.


It *IS* abusive and you want to report that, with proof, along with any other abisive communication, to Support.

Thank you for your support. Once again, I received ridiculous feedback. Their so-called editor claimed there was "no answer" to one of the questions. Then, I looked at his edits, and there it was - the answer was completely clear. He also claimed 2 answers were the same. They weren't. I attribute this to the fact that the individual is over-worked, but each time I point out his mistakes, the client says nothing. Then, he claims I'm harassing the editor by pointing out all of these errors and I'm slowing him down. Huh? 

 


ILANNA M wrote:

Thank you for your support. Once again, I received ridiculous feedback. Their so-called editor claimed there was "no answer" to one of the questions. Then, I looked at his edits, and there it was - the answer was completely clear. He also claimed 2 answers were the same. They weren't. I attribute this to the fact that the individual is over-worked, but each time I point out his mistakes, the client says nothing. Then, he claims I'm harassing the editor by pointing out all of these errors and I'm slowing him down. Huh? 

 


Ignore his accusations. If there is only one overworked editor, it is primarily the clients problem, not yours. I expect it to go on forever: you submit the work and the clients refuses to pay with all kind of excuses.

1. Make sure you have proof (screenshots etc) of the abbusive behaviour and report to CS.

2. Refuse to make any more changes.

3. If the client refuses to pay, keep pressing the submit button without spending any more time one the project. You did what you were hired for and the client cannot use the work until he paid you.

4. If the client closes the contract without releasing the payment, dispute.

5. You could close the contract from your side and be done with it. If the client does not want to pay you for the work you did, he ends up with nothing but expenses for his overworked editor.

I tried doing that actually. He put a "request changeds" on the payment. So now I'm stuck because the editor hasn't sent the final work. The work he did send was faulty. Also, in the sample he sent the work was formatted one way, but when he edited me, the work was formatted differently. 

So, it's one mistake after another. When I try and point this out, the client claims I'm harassing them and I'm a plagiarist. I have everything documented though. 

Clarifying:
If the client formally requests changes (using the button) after you submit a request for payment. Then you must re-submit the work to start the 14-day review period. 

If the client has not formally requested the changes, then don't hit the submit button. Each time you select re-submit, the 14-day countdown is reset. 

 

 

The client has become unresponsive. I sent all the work in again attending to everything. I also sent two checklists showing what I had done, and the way I'd checked it all out. Even the editor won't communicate now. So, I guess all I can do is wait? 


ILANNA M wrote:

The client has become unresponsive. I sent all the work in again attending to everything. I also sent two checklists showing what I had done, and the way I'd checked it all out. Even the editor won't communicate now. So, I guess all I can do is wait? 


Just wait. Don't remind them that you exist, so 14 days after you clicked on "resubmit" you'll get paid automatically.

You did use the "resubmit" function, right?


ILANNA M wrote:

Thank you for your support. Once again, I received ridiculous feedback. Their so-called editor claimed there was "no answer" to one of the questions.

 


Ilanna, whenever I am dealing with a difficult client, I remember that challenging clients in freelancing are temporary challenge, and thank my lucky stars that this is the case when freelancing.

Soon that contract will be ended and the client history, and their behaviour will become one of those "and did I tell you about the client who..." stories swapped between freelancers over a drink.

 

Just smile sweetly and make sure you get out of the contract as amicably and professionally as possible, and never work with them ever again.

 

Hi Petra;

 

Thanks for that positive feedback. I appreciate it very much. On top of all this, my back is terrible and I may need surgery. Horrible to be in pain like this! In any case, here is the message I sent them yesterday. I've received no response. 

I think we can all agree we'd like to finish this project. However, I also feel I need consistent guidelines. The sample I was sent showed me the final exam was to formatted with digit numbers, not worded numbers. So, that is how I formatted it. Then, I see the document I received yesterday has the numbers written out in words. I don't know which it's supposed to be. So, to save Bxx and myself and everyone involved time, please provide me with the actual guidelines and I will change the PDF manual according to those guidelines. Also, Bxx changed the style of the exam completely. I was told to write the exam and then provide answer keys at the end of the exam. But, this new revision shows a completely different format, with 100 questions (not in any specific subject and only numbered), and their answers below. In the sample I was sent the questions were according to their topics. Again, I'd like to know which is the preferred style. I will do whichever is best for you, but I think we just need to agree on a single style. Bxx also indicated they couldn't see all of the readings in the pdf manual, but they're absolutely there on pages 55, 56-57 and 58-60.

So, no response so far. 

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