Dropbox attachment

[19d21f98]

Hello team,

Can someone advise if I am able to accept jobs that contain a Dropbox attachment? I have two (2) from the same person (different titles) asking me to "give us feedback on our website design". It states to watch the video attached, but the attachment refers to how to build your time using upwork.

[pgiambalvo]

I'd be very suspicious that these are scams but I'm sure a moderator will tell you whether or not that is allowed. Until you hear from them, I wouldn't do it.

[prestonhunter · Accepted solution]

Upwork has no rule prohibiting clients from sharing files via Dropbox.

And a job posting itself may indeed contain a Dropbox attachment link.

These are two different thing:

a) A client hires me and pays me

and

b) A client asks me to work for free.

The second one (b) is a violation of Upwork TOS.

If a client wants me to watch a video, he needs to hire me officially and pay me for my time spent watching the video.

If a client wants me to give feedback on website design, then the client needs to hire me with an hourly contract so I can bill time while doing so.

Carolyn: Nothing you described in your post sounds like you have been hired with a legitimate Upwork contract. This just sounds like a scammer wasting our time. Or a scam/scheme job posting manipulating freelancers into working for free.

[19d21f98]

Thank you team.

[AveryO]

Hi Carolyn, 

I looked into this, and it seems like the client was using the video to communicate with prospective freelancers. I don't think he explained what the job was in the video, and he only mentioned how to get paid and how to add manual time so that you get paid for the task. 

I believe the file is safe, and you should be okay. If you have other questions about the project, you can ask your client through your Message room.

I hope this helps!

[prestonhunter]

Creating an effective job post is a skill. And also something that requires a little thought and effort.

If I post a job post on Upwork that is confusing and uses weirdness like ambiguous videos in Dropbox, then I'm going to be unable to attract quality freelancers.

I can post a job post which doesn't violate TOS, but which nevertheless goes nowhere because freelancers don't understand what I want. Most freelancers won't even bother to report the job posting. And they won't waste their connects to contact me to tell me that they have no idea what the job posting is about.

So I'll just be left wondering why either zero freelancers, or zero quality freelancers, apply.