Cryptocurrency budget

[maher-hex]

Hi guys,
I got hired for a job and the employer said they have a cryptocurrency budget. I would like to ask what that means since me and cryptocurrency are almost like applying makeup to a cow lol
Does that mean I will get paid to my bank normally or what does it mean? Please help, thanks

[wescowley · Accepted solution]

It almost certainly means nothing to you unless the client wants you to manage his budget. The client needs to pay you through Upwork, which will mean using real money.

I see you're pretty new here, so let me stress: you need to make sure you've actually gotten an offer through Upwork and accepted it (meaning the contract is on your "My Jobs" page) before you do any work. If it's not on your "My Jobs" page, you haven't really been hired.

[maher-hex]

Thanks a lot, it is not on the 'My Jobs page', it appears I am being interviewed. The client said they would help me withdraw the payment to my bank, I won't be suspicious from the start, it says they joined today. But still, better safe than sorry, better to ask you guys, you know better than me. I told them to verify their payment method on upwork and they assured me that everything will be ok, still..
Thanks a lot

[tlbp]

Upwork doesn't allow payment in crypto, so there's no way they could pay you using crypto and not violate Upwork's TOS.

[wescowley]

Be very careful here. This is smelling very scammy to me.

[maher-hex]

Yeah to me too, but I'll complete the work anyways and won't hand it over until I receive the money. That's the best way I believe. Besides, I am working on a very interesting topic lol so it will at least be of educational benefit to me. I really appreciate your help. Thank you

[feed_my_eyes]

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Alisa Z wrote:
Yeah to me too, but I'll complete the work anyways and won't hand it over until I receive the money. That's the best way I believe. 

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No, that is not the best way. You cannot accept payments off of Upwork, at all, in any form, no matter what the client is telling you. Your account will be banned. 

[BojanS]

Hi Alisa,

Could you please click on my name and send me a PM with more information about this client and their request? I'll be sure to look into it and advise you accordingly.

Thank you.

[maher-hex]

I tried but the browser gets stuck every time i try to message. Could you message me?

[JoanneP]

Hi Aliza,

I sent you a private message. Thank you. 

[martina_plaschka]

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Alisa Z wrote:
Yeah to me too, but I'll complete the work anyways and won't hand it over until I receive the money. That's the best way I believe. Besides, I am working on a very interesting topic lol so it will at least be of educational benefit to me. I really appreciate your help. Thank you

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No, you don't do that, this is called blackmail. 

It works like this: You get hired, you do work, you send work, you click submit for payment button, you get paid. (For fixed price contracts, a bit different for hourly)

[maher-hex]

Did you even see what I wrote earlier? I said I told the person to verify the payment method first and that I won't hand the work in until the person pays ( when they verify the payment method). Blackmail is not when you won't hand in the work before they verify their payment method

[wescowley]

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Alisa Z wrote:

Did you even see what I wrote earlier? I said I told the person to verify the payment method first and that I won't hand the work in until the person pays ( when they verify the payment method). Blackmail is not when you won't hand in the work before they verify their payment method

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I think you may not be clear on how Upwork works. Verifying the payment method is not paying. To verify the payment method, Upwork will make two small authorizations against their card, a few cents each, and the client needs to confirm the amounts of those authorizations.

Then, assuming this is a fixed-price contract, when they make an offer to you, they will put the cost of the contract into escrow with Upwork. They still have not paid you.

Once you accept the offer, then is when you should begin work. Once you submit the work, they have 14 days to approve the milestone and release the escrow to you. That's when you are paid. Or, they can ask for a refund of the escrow if they feel you haven't done the agreed work. If they do nothing for 14 days, the escrow is automatically released to you.

Yes, you can ask them to release the escrow to you before you deliver the work, but that's not how the system is designed to work and I suspect that most clients would balk at that, especially with someone who hasn't built a reputation here yet.

There's a pinned thread at the top of the New to Upwork forum that has a list of resources on understanding how Upwork works, how to avoid scams, etc. I strongly suggest that you read through those.

[maher-hex]

Check your messages please, thanks

[colettelewis]

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Alisa Z wrote:

Check your messages please, thanks

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_______________________

Alisa,

Unless you listen to the advice you have been given here by established freelancers and two moderators, you risk having your account suspended before you have even started.

[maher-hex]

Nichola I already contacted one moderator and I also contacted a freelancer, am not dumb to risk that my profile is banned hence I always ask here if I have questions. But thank you