How do I report a possible scam to UpWork

[djswebdesign]

I had an interaction today with what I thought was a client.   They ask for a skype call so I did.  They sent a questionaire related to the work to be completed.  But then they wanted my address to send the employment contract.  When I checked the job again on upwork it was nolonger available and my bid/applicaiton was declined.

I have the link to the job post and a link to thier directions which was on MS One Drive.  Please advise.

[a_lipsey]

If the job was no longer available then there is no need to report it. 

You need to read the TOS. You are not allowed to use Skype with a client UNLESS you have a contract in place. 

[djswebdesign]

I reported it as it is no longer availabe knowing I have the URL thinking UpWork might want to investigate. 

As for needing to read the terms of service regardign skype.  Thanks I appreciate it and will review them again and keep all inital communications on the UpWork platform.  However, UpWork should be doign a better job in preventing clients from soliciting it from the beginning.

[a_lipsey]

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Doug S wrote:

I reported it as it is no longer availabe knowing I have the URL thinking UpWork might want to investigate. 

As for needing to read the terms of service regardign skype.  Thanks I appreciate it and will review them again and keep all inital communications on the UpWork platform.  However, UpWork should be doign a better job in preventing clients from soliciting it from the beginning.

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It's not "however" it's "and". A client breaking TOS does not absolve you from doing so. You need to know the TOS to protect yourself, regardless if a client knows them or not. Yes, Upwork needs to remind clients to stay on platform as well, but that's not a "however;" it's BOTH. It's YOUR resposibility to know the rules you agreed to, not the client's.  It's the clients job to know them for themselves as well, but not for you. 

[djswebdesign]

Not to digress but I was always told not to start a scentance with 'And'.  And I do agree ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law or TOS.  See what I did there?  Thanks I appreciate your feedback. 

[a_lipsey]

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Doug S wrote:

Not to digress but I was always told not to start a scentance with 'And'.  And I do agree ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law or TOS.  See what I did there?  Thanks I appreciate your feedback. 

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Grammatically speaking, you shouldn't start it with "however" either. 🙂 

[theresamscandale]

Hello. I had almost the same experience today. When I began on Upwork, I did read the terms of service, but that was months ago and I didn't remember at all that you are not supposed to communicate with a client via Skype unless there is a contract in place. I'd never had an interview on Upwork before, and I assumed that since I had originally submitted a proposal for this job that it was legit. I went against my gut and filled out a questionnaire, just like the person in the original post had done. However, when I read this post, I realized my gut was right and it was probably a scam. I logged off Skype immediately and blocked the "client." I am wondering if I will be penalized for this? I understand it was wrong to enter the Skype conversation in the first place (trust me. I will be reading and re-reading the terms of service). But I'm not sure if I took the right steps in trying to end it. Should I report it? Can it reflect badly on me? The only information the "client" has on me is my first and last name. 

[a_lipsey]

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Theresa S wrote:

Hello. I had almost the same experience today. When I began on Upwork, I did read the terms of service, but that was months ago and I didn't remember at all that you are not supposed to communicate with a client via Skype unless there is a contract in place. I'd never had an interview on Upwork before, and I assumed that since I had originally submitted a proposal for this job that it was legit. I went against my gut and filled out a questionnaire, just like the person in the original post had done. However, when I read this post, I realized my gut was right and it was probably a scam. I logged off Skype immediately and blocked the "client." I am wondering if I will be penalized for this? I understand it was wrong to enter the Skype conversation in the first place (trust me. I will be reading and re-reading the terms of service). But I'm not sure if I took the right steps in trying to end it. Should I report it? Can it reflect badly on me? The only information the "client" has on me is my first and last name. 

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If you can report you should. The TOS changed in late June to prohibit communication outside the platform before a contract has been accepted. So it may be that you signed up before that TOS change and that you missed the notification about the TOS change since you were not actively seeking work yet (sounds like?).  It's good that you recognized the scam, and now you know it is a scam plus the new TOS. I don't think you'll be penalized for a one-time mistake, especially as a newbie and it was scammer. Just be careful from now on. People have made worse transgressions and Upwork does nothing. 

[JoanneP]

Hi Theresa,

Could you please share the job post link by sending me a PM so I can check? You can also read this announcement to learn more about the recent changes to Upwork TOS. 

[theresamscandale]

Hello!

  I submitted a proposal last Thursday or Friday for a job to proofread a movie script. I didn't receive the email for the interview in time, so when I clicked the link, it said the job was closed. However, today I received a message saying that my resume is impressive and I can schedule an interview. The strange part is that it says my proposal for the job was submitted on August 31, which was yesterday. I did not submit that proposal yesterday. 
I scheduled the interview anyway. They told me they are "Dynamic Sales co." I Googled them and they are a "welding company" in Missouri. I don't see any relation to proofreading. However, the interviewer (basic name--Robert Smith, different from the original person who messaged me--Brenda White) sent me a questionnaire to fill out, and it was entirely about proofreading. I filled out the questionnaire, and now it's being graded. 
About the interviewer, who is the "hiring manager": It doesn't sound like English is his first language. I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but I don't know if that is a red flag, considering his name is Robert Smith.

Something about this whole thing seems sketchy to me, but I am not sure if it's because I'm new to Upwork (and the world of freelancing) and don't know how this works yet. I just don't want to waste my time on a project that could possibly be a scam. To the more experienced freelancers out there, what do you think about this? 

[petra_r]

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Theresa S wrote:

what do you think about this? 

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If the "interview" is taking place outside of Upwork, you are already violating Upwork's terms of service.

This sounds exactly like the start of the ancient "fake check scam" - the next step would be that the fake hiring manager sends you a fake check for a "home office" or "software" to do the fake job...

For future reference: Do not communicate with clients outside of the platform until a proper Upwork contract is in place. It's not allowed.

[a_lipsey]

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Theresa S wrote:

Hello!

  I submitted a proposal last Thursday or Friday for a job to proofread a movie script. I didn't receive the email for the interview in time, so when I clicked the link, it said the job was closed. However, today I received a message saying that my resume is impressive and I can schedule an interview. The strange part is that it says my proposal for the job was submitted on August 31, which was yesterday. I did not submit that proposal yesterday. 
I scheduled the interview anyway. They told me they are "Dynamic Sales co." I Googled them and they are a "welding company" in Missouri. I don't see any relation to proofreading. However, the interviewer (basic name--Robert Smith, different from the original person who messaged me--Brenda White) sent me a questionnaire to fill out, and it was entirely about proofreading. I filled out the questionnaire, and now it's being graded. 
About the interviewer, who is the "hiring manager": It doesn't sound like English is his first language. I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but I don't know if that is a red flag, considering his name is Robert Smith.

Something about this whole thing seems sketchy to me, but I am not sure if it's because I'm new to Upwork (and the world of freelancing) and don't know how this works yet. I just don't want to waste my time on a project that could possibly be a scam. To the more experienced freelancers out there, what do you think about this? 

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If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and sounds like a duck, it's probably a scam. Stay on platform pre-contract and stay safe. 

[martina_plaschka]

According to upwork's terms of service, you are not allowed to communicate with a potential client outside of upwork until hire, meaning you have to use upwork messenger and video. This is specifically to keep people safe from scams like this. 

Scammers want to avoid leaving a trail - not because somebody will come after them, nobody knows where they really are or will bother to send the law after them - but simply due to the trouble of creating new accounts. The only person who is losing money is the freelancer stuck with a fake check. Finding them and suing them is completely out of his reach. The violation against upwork is not adhering to ToS, which is punishable by deletion of account. Save for a Dr. Phil show calling these scammers out I don't see any repercussions. 

[BojanS · Accepted solution]

Hi Doug,

Thanks for flagging this for us. I've checked and it looks like the job has already been taken down because it was in violation of Upwork TOS and action has been taken on the client account. 

Please note that all conversations before a contract is started must be through Upwork Messages, where you can send messages, have video calls, and more. We also encourage you to let us know if a TOS violation has happened by using the “Flag as Inappropriate” option throughout the platform. You can learn more about user reporting here. Also, check out this post for more tips on how to avoid questionable jobs.

[colettelewis]

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Bojan S wrote:

Hi Doug,

Thanks for flagging this for us. I've checked and it looks like the job has already been taken down because it was in violation of Upwork TOS and action has been taken on the client account. 

Please note that all conversations before a contract is started must be through Upwork Messages, where you can send messages, have video calls, and more. We also encourage you to let us know if a TOS violation has happened by using the “Flag as Inappropriate” option throughout the platform. You can learn more about user reporting here. Also, check out this post for more tips on how to avoid questionable jobs.

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___________________________

This is a very new regulation, and it would really help if Upwork made it clear that it also applies to clients. Why are clients allowed to ask for offsite communication, when freelancers who agree to it are the ones likely to get suspended? 

This surely should be a two-way rule? 

[a_lipsey]

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Nichola L wrote:

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Bojan S wrote:

Hi Doug,

Thanks for flagging this for us. I've checked and it looks like the job has already been taken down because it was in violation of Upwork TOS and action has been taken on the client account. 

Please note that all conversations before a contract is started must be through Upwork Messages, where you can send messages, have video calls, and more. We also encourage you to let us know if a TOS violation has happened by using the “Flag as Inappropriate” option throughout the platform. You can learn more about user reporting here. Also, check out this post for more tips on how to avoid questionable jobs.

---

___________________________

This is a very new regulation, and it would really help if Upwork made it clear that it also applies to clients. Why are clients allowed to ask for offsite communication, when freelancers who agree to it are the ones likely to get suspended? 

This surely should be a two-way rule? 

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Yes, and what bothers me is the client who takes someone off platform is never banned. I've reported more than one that outright told me they never pay through Upwork and have hired numerous freelancers that they found here. And yet their jobs still remained open so they could steal money, really, from our pockets - since we finance them to not pay fees and find freelancers. 

Why fear hammering it home to these clients? They aren't spending money on Upwork anyhow. Upwork loses nothing to enforce it with these clients and to ban them, if necessary - since they aren't paying Upwork their due anyhow. 

[djswebdesign]

That is exactly the same thing I experienced.

[AleksandarD]

Hi Doug,

I'm sorry to hear about that. You can always report any violation by following the steps found in this help article. Could you please send me a private message with more information on your report so that I can check?

As a friendly suggestion, you may want to check out this post for tips on how you can avoid questionable jobs.

Thank you.

[mmisiek75]

Hi Bojan,

My potecial clietnt send me job description which was in fact phising attempt to use my Paypal account to but bitcoins and do some bank transfers.

[JoanneP]

Hi Michal,

Please send me a PM with more information so I can check this for you. You can PM me by clicking on my name. 

[michaeljgreces]

Hey Doug,

The  same just happened to me. Was it a Proofreading job with**Edited for community guidelines**

by any chance? Scammers are getting very good- they used what seemed to be a legit email address, but went through a suspicious server

Listen to your gut, learn from mistakes, and read Upwork guidelines. which has been used in other scams as well. 

[JoanneP]

Hi Michael,

Please send me a PM with more information so I can check. You can click on my name to send me a PM. Thanks!

[c8d33ad7]

@ have contacted this person with user name **Edited for Community Guidelines** and its a scam 

[sofia2008]

That is why there is a rule to not contact outside Upwork before a contract (on Upwork) is in place.

Names are not important as they are not the real scammer name, and because you are not allowed to drop names on the forum.

Please review Terms of Service at the bottom of the page, and take some courses on Academy - Upwork Community

to learns how the platform works and stay safe.

[5049687a]

I applied for a job to retype some documents and an individual named Patricia Nelson (@patricianelson1 on telegram) tried to get me to pay a hefty registrsation fee.  I looked up the company and their guidlines online there's no mention of said fee.

company: INGENTA TLC

THIS IS TOTALLY A SCAM!!!!!!!

[ee658bfb]

Same thing just happened to me. I applied for a job and I received a message from**Edited for Community Guidelines**. (I read it in my email and once I tried to see it on Upwork, it didnt exist. Also, this woman asked me to add **Edited for Community Guidelines** on telegram. Obviously I didn't do it, especially after reading this. Of course, the job is no longer available on Upwork but I there are some more that could be the same person. The job's title is translation to European languages so be careful with it.