Do I need to report this client?

[moniquenz]

A client that I've been working on a second job with was going to give me a $10 bonus payment but forgot to do it when she approved the last milestone on a job. She asked me if she could just transfer me the money (I guess because we are in the same country). I told her no as it's against the rules even though it seems like a small thing but risks us both being banned, and informed her that she could just set up a new milestone and approve it for that $10, which she has now done. 

Now I know Upwork says we should report clients that offer to pay outside of Upwork, but this client just genuinely didn't know, said sorry and didn't even question it when I denied the request. Do I still need to report them? I always want to make sure I'm doing the right thing as I value my place on this site and the work I'm getting so don't want to find that my account has been suspended because I didn't report them, even though I informed them of the right thing to do. Help?

[petra_r]

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Monique wrote: Do I still need to report them?

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 Well, by posting on a public forum you essentially HAVE reported your client, who clearly just made an innocent mistake.

The client can just go to the ended contract and pay the the $ 10 as a bonus via Upwork.

Personally I do not report clients for innocent mistakes, although I guess the ToS say we are to report. I would simply have declined the offer and explained the situation to the client and left it be, especially if I ever want to work with that client ever again....

[moniquenz]

Yes it was an innocent mistake on client's end and they've paid the amount on the contract.

Was eating away at me after we'd messaged hence why I asked the question here, but I guess I've done the wrong thing anyway? 😞 What should I do now?

[estrategic]

Hi Monique - it was an inocent mistake and you are beating yourself up for no good reason.  Say thank you very much to the client and stop worrying.

[petra_r]

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undefined:

Yes it was an innocent mistake on client's end and they've paid the amount on the contract.

Was eating away at me after we'd messaged hence why I asked the question here, but I guess I've done the wrong thing anyway? 😞 What should I do now?

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 Nothing. 🙂

The client paid, all is well.

[tinker_bell3 · Accepted solution]

Hi Monique,

Glad to hear that it had been resolved. You can let your client know that if she needs any assistance or clarifications about how Upwork works, we would be happy to assist her. She can post here in the community or send an email to our customer support team. Thanks!

[charles_kozierok]

I have, on several occasions, had clients ask to go off-platform. In every case they didn't realize it was against the rules. When I told them it wasn't allowed, more than one has been surprised or confused, which I suspect is at least partially because Upwork doesn't make clear that Upwork takes a cut of what freelancers are paid.

I don't report these clients, becuse they simply don't know the rules, I just refuse the offer and they stay on the platform. Seems this is the best solution for all concerned.

If I ever had a client try to insist on this, then I'd report it.

Is this wrong? I can't see any point in involving Upwork CS and ticking off a client as opposed to just saying, "sorry, that's against the rules" and having them say, "okay."

[emiguelina]

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@Charles K wrote:

If I ever had a client try to insist on this, then I'd report it.

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The key part if after you have explained the client is against ToS they insist, I agreed with you, I'd report them as well.

To avoid this, I have a disclaimer in my profile, where I state "no work will be done outside upwork rules, don't even ask", and sometimes I even add that to my proposals, it had saved me a lot of time, clients don't even offer and it really keeps away scammers, even when I was a newbie I was left behind, that was a good thing btw.