Facebook Ads Scammer Alert

[#1]

I just wanted to put out an FYI for anyone that does Facebok Ads for clients.

There is someone on here posting multiple jobs for Facebook Ads with large ranges of pay ($50 - $200, $50 - $350, etc). They have verified payment but no spend. They will send you a contract and then once you accept, when they add you to their Meta Ad account, the invite is NOT from Facebook, it's from a different site and made to look like it's coming from Facebook. They are definitely trying to scam people and get into their Facebooks/Ad accounts.

Please be super aware so you do not lose access to your accounts! Happy to answer any questions. 

[#2]

Thank you for the heads up, Megan!

UPWORK - Do better at removing scams so Freelancers don't have to be unpaid content moderators. 

[#3]

I think it's weird that Upwork has access to all these freelancers, yet it takes a really long time to get a response from their paid moderators. 

[#4]

I've come across 2 instances of such in the last 1 week alone. One has even started a contract to get my email ID and the other has asked me to share email in a pdf file. 

Upwork should do a better job of flagging off these scam postings. Apart from being a wastage of valuable credits and the whole time & effort, if the scammers get access to our FB accounts, they can rip them apart once they can access client accounts and their payment information. Please be cautious!

[#5]

I just came across another one... I was suspicious as I couldn't find the guy or his company anywhere on LinkedIn.
**Edited for Community Guidelines**
I already flagged him but would be good if someone else would do that too.

His job posting:
We are seeking an expert in running ads on social networks to join our team. As a Social Media Ads Expert, your main responsibility will be to create and optimize ad campaigns on various social media platforms. This includes conducting audience research, setting up targeting parameters, creating compelling ad copies, and monitoring campaign performance to achieve the best results.

  Skills required:
  - In-depth knowledge of social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.)
  - Proficiency in ad campaign management tools (Facebook Ads Manager, Google Ads, etc.)
  - Strong analytical skills to track and analyze campaign performance
  - Creative mindset to develop engaging ad content
  - Excellent communication and teamwork abilities

  This is a medium-sized project with a duration of 1 to 3 months. The ideal candidate should have an intermediate level of expertise in running ads on social networks.

[#6]

Wow, I just saw this ad. Thanks for the update Mariam and Megan. I'll make sure to flag if I see another. 

[#7]

Unfortunately, he got my email address but that's about it. 
He told me that the project would be for a real estate company and asked me if I could handle a budget of $100k. I asked him for his email address and he gave me a very doggy Gmail one which he definitely created in 5 min. 
The fake Meta link came from "Ads Manager Suite via Contact"  (notification "at" adsmmanagersuite . com). When you click on it it does look like a well made Meta login page, but if you dive deeper all the links on the bottom don't work.

His fake name was **Edited for Community Guidelines** and the email came from **Edited for Community Guidelines** (also fake of course).

Just be careful. I think Upwork should properly verify clients and freelancers before they are even able to create accounts.

[#8]

I had the same scammer, phishing attempt through Meta also advertising real estate marketing.

This is the scam post: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~021834589720884022616

UpWork needs to do a better job protecting Freelancers and having more safe guards in place. The Clients need to be vetted better.

[#9]

Hi Christopher,

I am sorry to hear about your experience with this client. I shared your report with our team to investigate and take action based on our internal processes. In the future, feel free to use the "Flag as Inappropriate" option throughout the site to report any suspicious activity.

- Pradeep 

[#10]

I get 3-4 of these a week now...

[#11]

I've been receiving similar offers. They send messages directly. But good thing Upwork restricts them from messaging after a day or two. 

[#12]

I got one yesterday. insane, I get around 4-5 a week now : )

They just send an offer for 40 hours a week at $200 an hour, which is great but its obviously a scam. 

[#13]

Funny thing is, I replied to one of these yesterday and the guy wanted to argue with me : )

[#14]

Hi, I also received one earlier and when I messaged the "client", he went offline. Until now, he hasn't responded. Can you please check as well? Thanks

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

 

[#15]

Can confirm I have seen this twice in the past week. Only realizing after discussing the projects and sending examples of recent work. Such a waste of time. Thanks for calling it out. 

[#16]

I just received the scam link from the same email. Be careful. **Edited for Community Guidelines**

Same scenario. They want to make sure you have access to active Facebook ad accounts.  They blocked me the moment I told them about their scam.

Here is the job:

Responsibilities:
Manage and optimize Facebook ad campaigns.
Analyze results and report on performance.
Collaborate with team members to meet business goals.
Requirements:
Minimum 3 years of experience in Facebook advertising.
Proficiency in Facebook Ads Manager.
Strong analytical and optimization skills.
Benefits:

Competitive salary and benefits.
Professional and dynamic work environment.

[#17]

UPWORK seriously, how are you letting this happen. They are verified account supposedily. Here is the 10th one I have received in 3 months. He is in Malalsi and he wants me to manage 200k spend for **Edited for Community Guidelines**, the mind boggles. 

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[#18]

Another one received today. With the exact same message as you edited from my previous post. As freelancers, how can we take this website seriously?

[#19]

It looks like this is still ongoing. The MO is still the same but they do it through direct messaging now. They're also using verified accounts with payment history and jobs posted. I'm not sure how. Maybe those accounts got hacked? It seems like a part-time hustle for them. I noticed that they only send DMs on Friday night and weekends.