Don't interview via Skype

[sharipet]

My fellow freelancers... My suggestion to you (been on here since 2010, even though they have the wrong "member since" date) -- NEVER interview via Skype at first... so many scammers on this site... request to interview over the phone first and do the "sniff" test if they are legitimate or not before you invite them on skype... Good luck all!

[browersr]

I cannot fathom why using a phone would be better than Skype.  I'd much rather give my Skype details than my phone details (which I won't give). You can even create a special Skype account used only for interviews if you don't want people to have your main account name.

My suggestion is to use common sense regardless of interview format in determining whether something is a scam or not.  

[stencil_media]

I'm with the Scott on this one. Your intention to make people wary of scammers is admirable... but I'm not sure how a phone call would be safer than a Skype call.

[afifield]

Skype is fine and I use it all the time to meet with clients before I get hired here. I have never had a scammer through it. I've gotten many clients by doing this and showing up when they want for the meeting. You really should be cautious with everything no matter what form of communication it is. If something feels off at all {they want you to pay for something, download a suspicous file, they give you this big story about how they are in the hospital and need your help, etc.} , cut off communication and report them. 

[sharipet]

All, was just trying to make you aware ... my concern is 2 things - as a woman, being cautious about someone recording me on video and secondly, all this talk lately about how hackers can turn on your webcam without your knowledge-- if they call my phone & it's a scam, I can simply not answer the phone... that was my point

[petra_r]

---

@Shari P wrote:
my concern is 2 as a woman,

1)  being cautious about someone recording me on video and secondly,

2)  all this talk lately about how hackers can turn on your webcam without your knowledge--

3)  if they call my phone & it's a scam, I can simply not answer the phone... that was my point

---

 1) Who said anything about video? I talk to clients all the time via skype, but no video!

2) Turn your Firewall on, install decent anti-virus software, and stick something over your webcam (I have a mini Smurf over mine) - If you need to worry about this, your computer is so insecure that access to your webcam is the very least of your problems...

3) How would you know whether something is a scam before you answer the phone?

[stencil_media]

---

@Petra R wrote:

3) How would you know whether something is a scam before you answer the phone?

---

Exactly! If they call your Skype and it's a scam, you can simply not answer the call as well. 

[wendy_writes]

No more to add ...

Skype is a lifesaver; my phone is reserved for friends, family and trusted clients.

[datasciencewonk]

There's no way I'm giving some stranger on the interwebz my phone number.

I don't even include it on my personal website.

As to video interviews...

I don't do them.

They can interview me just fine via voice. 

While I'm not a personal fan of Skype, it's not an immediate red flag for me. 

[charles_kozierok]

I got my first long-term gig -- one I still have -- after an initial Skype interview.

Just saying.

Yes, there are a lot of scammers out there. No, not all of the people who want to talk to you are scammers. In fact, this client wanted to use Skype to make sure that I wasn't one.

[wendy_writes]

Thumbs Up to that!  Scammers are equally (if not more) present on U under the guise of provider.

I never use video on Skype - and have rarely, if ever, been asked to.

[purplepony]

Shari P. stated:

My fellow freelancers... My suggestion to you (been on here since 2010, even though they have the wrong "member since" date) -- NEVER interview via Skype at first... so many scammers on this site... request to interview over the phone first and do the "sniff" test if they are legitimate or not before you invite them on skype... Good luck all!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Shari, I'm not sure if you're aware of this or not; but the "Member Since" date refers to when you joined the Community; not when you became a Freelancer on oDesk or Elance which of course is now Upwork.  Of course if you became a Community member prior to the date noted, it's still wrong. lol 

[prestonhunter]

Most scammers use Google Hangouts these days... Not Skype.

[matrixkavi]

While submitting my proposal, is it required to give my skype id towards the end when I am suggesting an interview before getting hired? 

The tutorial video from Upwork suggests this but I dont know whether it is still required as we have a messaging system with voice and video chats available right now. The video was uploaded in the year 2015 and I believe several changes have been incorporated in Upwork since then.