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creayou
Community Member

How to get money for approved fixed price project

Hello dear Upwork Community,

Recently I have done a “fixed price” project with an urgent 2 days deadline.

Client approved the one and only milestone and told me in messages that everything is awesome and he is appreciated and happy with the result. He didn’t close the whole project, as it was late. But he did approve the milestone and the money for this project went to my upwork account with a “pending” status.

Client got his files (website design and layout), checked that everything is ok and that’s all.

Everything was done with upwork’s rules from my side.

The next day, I got a message from the upwork support team that my clients account went on hold. And I will not be able to work with him for a while.

Next day I noticed that the sum for this project (1000$) disappeared from my account and I didn’t get any messages. It just disappeared and the project went to “close” status.

I wrote a letter to the upwork support team that my money for the approved milestone has gone. After a short dialogue with the support team, I got an answer that the this client was a fraud and they (support team) have sent the money back to his card.

It was done without any disputes and/or arbitrage. In 2 days after the money was on my account in a pending status.

Support guys told that if the client appeared to be a fraud, upwork doesn guarantee the safety of the fixed price project and the agreement doesn’t work.

Question 1: what for do I need the option “fixed price project”, if it doesn’t protect my money even on “pending” status, without any disputes and arbitrages (keeping in mind that I did all the steps according to upwork rules)?

Question 2: what should I do in this situation?

Thank you
ACCEPTED SOLUTION
creayou
Community Member

4 REPLIES 4
petra_r
Community Member


Alexander S wrote:
Question 1: what for do I need the option “fixed price project”, if it doesn’t protect my money even on “pending” status, without any disputes and arbitrages (keeping in mind that I did all the steps according to upwork rules)?

In cases of fraud (or the "client" using a hacked/stolen credit card or PayPal account) all bets are off.

 


Alexander S wrote:
Question 2: what should I do in this situation?

Unless the client fixes whatever happened their side, there is nothing you should or can do.

creayou
Community Member

Thank you Petra,

But how can I be sure next time that the client didn’t use the stolen PayPal or card? Is this my responsibility?

Ps.
There payment method was “approved” in clients account.
petra_r
Community Member


Alexander S wrote:
But how can I be sure next time that the client didn’t use the stolen PayPal or card? Is this my responsibility?

If you check clients carefully, you can minimize (not eliminate) the risk. Most of the time, such clients have unusually short deadlines and pay over the odds (it's not their money they're spending, after all).


They've generally been on Upwork only a very short period of time.

 


Alexander S wrote:.
There payment method was “approved” in clients account.

That only shows that there is a payment method on file and that this payment method can be charged and accessed by the client. It doesn't guarantee it isn't a hacked payment method.

creayou
Community Member

Thanks. Got it.
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