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debi-f
Community Member

Clients with Payment method not verified

Hello,

Now, that we have to pay for sending our proposals, please, ask clients to Verify their payments method before publishing a Job offer.

Why will I waste money and send a proposal for a client that didn´t even verfy his payment method? 

Thank you 

Débora F

 

ACCEPTED SOLUTION

When a freelancer mentions in the Forum that they have been successful in earning money, they are not doing it to brag, or to make other people feel uncomfortable. They are including this information as part of a broader note that illustrates a point or helps other freelancers learn important principles.

 

A freelancer may (for example) offer advice that a freelancer can earn money while posting a high hourly rate, or that Upwork freelancers can be successful without using the Plus Membership plan. Part of that advice may include a reference to having earned good money while practicing these principles.

 

A reader may even click on a Forum poster's name and view their profile and see that they genuinely have earned good money. This can help people feel confident in the validity of these principles.

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20 REPLIES 20
petra_r
Community Member


Debora F wrote:

 

Now, that we have to pay for sending our proposals, please, ask clients to Verify their payments method before publishing a Job offer.

Why will I waste money and send a proposal for a client that didn´t even verfy his payment method? 


Just pass them by if you don't want to "waste money" and send a proposal to such clients.

Those of us who make good money from that sort of client will gladly look after them instead.

 

I have never understood the problem. If a client wants to hire me, they verify their payment method when they send the offer, as soon as it is verified, I start working.

What's the problem?

 

If you don't want to work with such clients, skip their job posts (you can simply filter them out, then you never have to see them again!)

 

payment verified.jpg

 

The reason why the requirement you demand is not available is because it would result in less paying clients and none of us want that.

 

rafsun_ug
Community Member

It's wise not to apply for a Job of Payment Unverified even when you used free connects.  


Rafsun S wrote:

It's wise not to apply for a Job of Payment Unverified even when you used free connects.  


LOL, why?

 

Risky!


Rafsun S wrote:

Risky!


I apply to those and never had a bad experience with any of them.

I've earned multiple tens of thousands of Dollars from such clients.

I don't see what is supposed to be "risky" about them as long as you interview them as carefully as you would any other client and don't start working until the payment method is verified.

 

But each to their own, if you don't feel comfortable dealing with such clients, just filter their jobs out.

 

Really appreciate your experiences. Probably 9 months ago, I also did a Payment unverified job, but the client invited me. And he had some investments also in his history! So, I did this job but it took about a week to re-issue his bank card and to send me the offer! But usually, I will not feel good to use my connects for a Payment Unverified Job! I might apply to such kinds of job if I had a huge connects (maybe 50 Smiley LOL) left at the end of the month! And now...no way...because I have to buy connects! I kept it in my filters because it never bothered me! To me, it is just a question of unreliable...nothing more! That's how it feels risky to me! 


Rafsun S wrote:

 And now...no way...because I have to buy connects! I kept it in my filters because it never bothered me! To me, it is just a question of unreliable...nothing more! That's how it feels risky to me! 


We all have our own strategies. As long as yours work for you, that's great.

There is no "right" or "wrong."

 

I actually decided to do the opposite now paid connects have come into place and bid on large contracts with the payment unverified clients (if I like the look of the job, obviously) that others are avoiding because they don't want to "waste" their connects. As those have far fewer applications, chances of winning them if the client does hire, are greater, and by going after the big ones, you don't have to win that many of them.

 

Rafsun S wrote:

Risky!


I used to think that way (not anymore). Because I did not want to have the "verify your payment" kind of conversation. And guess what? when it was my turn we talked about the project, I let him know that he must verify his payment and send me the offer, and It worked more than fine, it was great!, I found such a great and nice client, I was his first, and hopefully no his last hire un Upwork, he left glowing feedback in my profile and a bonus!


Elba A wrote:
Rafsun S wrote:

Risky!


I used to think that way (not anymore). Because I did not want to have the "verify your payment" kind of conversation. And guess what? when it was my turn we talked about the project, I let him know that he must verify his payment and send me the offer,


You don't even have to have that conversation, when they try to hire you, Upwork has that conversation with them for you.

All you have to do is not work (or even accept the offer if you are really risk-averse) until it is verified.

Some of my favorite clients were new and didn't have a verified payment method initially, and frankly, because so many freelancers are scared of them, there are fewer applicants so they are easier to win.

 

debi-f
Community Member

Petra

You always talk about the lots of money you earn. Great!! I earned good money but I don´t need to speak about it..is not important for anyone..

After 10 years working through Elance / Odesk / Upwork I know how to avoid "not verified clients"...but NOW  that I have to pay for sending a proposal...I for sure will not pay for it.

Thanks

petra_r
Community Member


Debora F wrote:

 

After 10 years working through Elance / Odesk / Upwork I know how to avoid "not verified clients"...but NOW  that I have to pay for sending a proposal...I for sure will not pay for it.

Thanks


Then don't.

Problem solved, right?

So the point was?

 

When a freelancer mentions in the Forum that they have been successful in earning money, they are not doing it to brag, or to make other people feel uncomfortable. They are including this information as part of a broader note that illustrates a point or helps other freelancers learn important principles.

 

A freelancer may (for example) offer advice that a freelancer can earn money while posting a high hourly rate, or that Upwork freelancers can be successful without using the Plus Membership plan. Part of that advice may include a reference to having earned good money while practicing these principles.

 

A reader may even click on a Forum poster's name and view their profile and see that they genuinely have earned good money. This can help people feel confident in the validity of these principles.


Rafsun S wrote:

Risky!


Working on a contract with payment unverified is risky, applying to those jobs is not, IMO.


Rafsun S wrote:

It's wise not to apply for a Job of Payment Unverified even when you used free connects.  


As Petra mentioned, it's fine for you to think this way. It leaves all those job postings from new clients who simply haven't taken that step yet for those of us who aren't put off by them. If a job posting seems otherwise solid, no signs of scammy intent, a lack of payment method verification is easily rectified before work starts. 


Melissa T wrote:

Rafsun S wrote:

It's wise not to apply for a Job of Payment Unverified even when you used free connects.  


As Petra mentioned, it's fine for you to think this way. It leaves all those job postings from new clients who simply haven't taken that step yet for those of us who aren't put off by them. If a job posting seems otherwise solid, no signs of scammy intent, a lack of payment method verification is easily rectified before work starts. 


Add me to the list of those who agree with Petra. It's unreasonable to demand that a client verify their payment method before they have even decided whether they're going to hire somebody. I've never even once had a problem being paid, so it can't be THAT risky. 

Maybe everyone should stop advising these people and let them filter themselves out of the Upwork freelancer pool. If they don't want to deal with clients who have unverified payment methods, great. More work for the rest of us. This is one of the ways that the paid connects system will decrease competition.


Heaven H wrote:

Maybe everyone should stop advising these people and let them filter themselves out of the Upwork freelancer pool. If they don't want to deal with clients who have unverified payment methods, great. More work for the rest of us. This is one of the ways that the paid connects system will decrease competition.


I could not agree more with you.

 

My way of thinking about purchasing connects is like the gas I have to spend to get to a B&M place in order to be interviewed for a job I might or might not get, no matter if the payment is verified or not, 'cause in order to make an offer (like Petra previously said) they have to do it.

I think people who are constantly looking for check-boxes they can use to shelter themselves from risk are people who have not fully embraced what it means to be a FL. Running any business entails a certain amount of risk. To succeed, we have to do the hard work of learning how to assess risk, how to discern real risk (as opposed to perceived risk which isn't real), and how to decide what level of risk we are comfortable with in a given situation. It comes with experience, to those who are smart, pay attention, and intent on learning from mistakes and near-misses. Nothing UW can do will effectively shelter a FL who isn't looking to their own kit and learning to suss out the real red flags.


Heaven H wrote:

Maybe everyone should stop advising these people and let them filter themselves out of the Upwork freelancer pool. If they don't want to deal with clients who have unverified payment methods, great. More work for the rest of us. This is one of the ways that the paid connects system will decrease competition.


True, but when I see posts that say, "I think Upwork should do this or that," and I don't agree that Upwork should do this or that, I think it's important to say so. 

b0967b4d
Community Member

Hey,
in the beginning I often applied, also when client`s payment was not verified.
But they were all scam and not serious, they wanted me to contact them on telegram and they did not want to agree on the contract here on Upwork.
So my question - did you ever had some serious clients with unverified payment???
Thank you so much for your answer. I am a Newcomer who needs to live from this, but could not get a single job yet 😕

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