How to report a fraudulent client

[#1]

I've tried to find a way to directly contact Upwork but they keep directing me here. Help?

[#2]

This probably IS the best place to ask for help. Did someone say that they'd send you a cheque to purchase office equipment?

[#3]

That's EXACTLY what they did. I got further into this scam than I'd like to
admit, but I asked for a list of "local vendors" they wanted me to purchase
from and said I wouldn't deposit any check they'd send me until they'd
given that list to me. They stopped responding after that.
I'm new to Upwork so I was unsure about reporting procedures, but if this
is the right place, then good. It sucks that people suck.

[#4 · Accepted solution]

Go to the project page and click on the green "Flag as inappropriate" link in the top-right hand corner, then Upwork will take the job down and refund everyone's connects. If the project page is gone, it's because somebody else already reported them. There's really not much more that you can do - they would have given you a fake name and contact information, so there's no way for Upwork to find them or ban them. 

At least you know what the scam looks like now, so you won't be taken in again. Sorry - it does suck!

You should also read over Upwork's terms of service, because you violated two rules yourself - you're not allowed to talk to clients anywhere except via the Upwork system until a contract is in place, and you're not allowed to accept cheques from clients, either (payments have to go through Upwork). If you follow those rules, you can't fall prey to this particular scam.

[#5]

Fair point about the fake contact info. Thanks for your help, I appreciate
it.

[#6]

Also I did not see your last paragraph until just now! Okay, yeah, definitely will. My bad!

[#7]

Hi Ananda,

Thanks for flagging this job to 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 check this help article for more information on how to use the flag option found on each job post or message to report any suspicious or inappropriate content. Also, check out this post for more tips on how to avoid questionable jobs.

[#8]

Thank you so much for this information. I dove headfirst into this without really taking advantage of the resources Upwork provides, both to educate and protect it's freelancer. Definitely an eye opening experience.
Thanks again.

[#9]

Thank you dear Christine A for the solution. 

I am newbie. I have 3 active proposals. 2 of them are scam. They left messsages in my inbox to communicate with them. I commnucated with them. I had learnt of their projects. To start working they are demanding fees in the name of 'data encryption fee', 'library card fee'. To start working I requested them to come to upwork for contracting. But they are not agree. Learning the way of flaging from your post I have already flaged them. Thanks again.  

Rgds,

Nazrul

[#10]

Hi Nazrul,

Thank for flagging the jobs. Please check out this post for more tips on how to avoid questionable jobs and please use the flag option found on each job post or message anytime you’d like to report a violation.

Thank you

Pradeep