Solved: Help with harassing client!

535c52dd · ‎08-14-2020

Hi Guys!

Well.. Sadly this is my first freelancing job on upwork and am having an issue with the client. I was hired for some Ecommerce work, specifically helping on an Amazon project. The job stated:

I have a store right now that is getting no sales at all. I have been trying to get into Amazon for months with no success at all.

He offered 10hrs week at my rate but then always mentioned not to do the full 10hrs cause he cant afford it.. and was always bringing up not having money.. such as asking me to do additional work and he would "pay me if its cheap" so I was already weary about what he was saying...

I still took the job but was very minimal on working hours and logged everything.

This job extremely misleading because after I got into the contract I found out that the client had multiple Amazon accounts, in which got his accounts all suspended from amazon, therefore he needed help getting them unsuspended but after trying to help him with that-- I found out that his accounts had fraudulent informatoin on them..Fake names and everything and it was literally impossible to help him get his accounts back when it wasnt even true information.. so after working only 4 of the 10hrs I told him that it didnt seem like he was going to be able to fix this situation in that amount of them so we agreed to end contract (I ended it) he said thanks for trying and we moved on..

Now today Im receiving refund request demanding the hours I did spend to be refunded because he never got his accounts back.. BUT that doesnt mean I didnt work or try!

The work week ended on Aug 2nd.. I contacted upwork and they said to respond to his email and deny the refund and that I didnt need to do anything else.. Now the client is sending me emails saying hes disputing this with upwork..

What do I need to do? Am I able to block him but dont lose out if I need to defend myself? I dont think this is fair and hes being extremely unreasonable (and cheap!)

yitwail · ‎08-14-2020

Shannon, if you used time tracker and the work diary shows keyboard activity, memos, and screenshots appropriate to the job, then do nothing. The client doesn't have any basis for a dispute.

__________________________________________________
"No good deed goes unpunished." -- Clare Boothe Luce

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yitwail · ‎08-14-2020

Shannon, if you used time tracker and the work diary shows keyboard activity, memos, and screenshots appropriate to the job, then do nothing. The client doesn't have any basis for a dispute.

__________________________________________________
"No good deed goes unpunished." -- Clare Boothe Luce

535c52dd · ‎08-14-2020

Thank you John. Thats what I figured but with the way he was stressing over money in the beginning and then finding out all the fraud stuff, I wasnt sure if there was any loop hole. I did download the upwork desktop app and tracked/logged my work and hours. In his refund request he stated that I "Just sent emails which should have taken minutes" I think its just going back to his lack of money.

Thank you again.

robin_hyman · ‎08-14-2020

I agree with John. This guy sought you out because you're new. Always beware.

Is it possible to do some digging on the client once he/she starts messaging you before you accept the contract? Trying to think about how you as an Amazon consultant can avoid this from happening in the future.

535c52dd · ‎08-14-2020

Ive worked on suspended accounts before but never had a client have fake information on his account.. Im not sure how to find that beforehand unless they tell me.. in fact this client didnt even tell me.. I was asking for verification documents that were being asked from Amazon directly, since I was already working on the appeals and was telling him that the account name/info was not matching the documents he was sending and then he said he was "told by another upwork freelancer to make fake accounts." And then basically it snowballed and I discovered his accounts were all tied together.. he had about 4, with his information, his wife and then other accounts with fake stuff.. thats when I agreed to end contract because it was more involved then he stated.

Im glad I documented everything!

Also if I block him from sending me emails would I still be able to be notified if he opened a dispute (he said he already did when I refused to refund him, but I havent received anything)

JoanneP · ‎08-14-2020

Hi Shannon,

I checked your account, and I can see that our team already assist you directly regarding your concern with the refund request. If you need any further assistance, please let us know. Thank you.

~ Joanne