I am done with upwork. Client scams then insults and upwork won't do anything about it

[#1]

I am done with upwork, you have lost another freelancer because of your rules.

After years on this platform I received a horrible client who just clearly scammed me and insulted me.

Basically the client requested a landing page with dark/light mode but dark mode colors were missing for $300 fee.

The client sent the contract with 3 milestones that weren't exactly logical but I had assumed it is due to lack of knowledge in creating something similar, each $100.

I accepted stupidly because I had planned to do the full project directly anyway and had again stupidly trusted the client, I sent the full code of it done with extra design ideas for sections that he was not even sure about in the design, which was already 95%+ of the work that would ever be required.

He accepted the first milestone and requested a lot of small changes and test ideas for the dark mode which was already implemented with some colors that I personally found working. 

Regardless I implemented his requests and pushed once again and requested the second milestone but he asks for a new list and new ideas for colors which to be honest would have taken an extra 10-20 minutes,

But I knew there will be more requests after so I respectfully tell him I would rather not have back and forths of implementations and he should have a full list and the design ready to end the contract and possibly discuss an hourly rate instead of this fixed contract.

He instead chooses to scam here and request the only $100 he paid to escrow back, I call out his scam and he then proceede to insult me saying "bitch" I am thinking about making you pay $337 even for the arbitration; which is enough for me to leave upwork if they don't do anything about, and it gets followed by insults from both sides as if it is a online gaming chat....

And he was clearly saying that he will be losing nothing for the project if he pays his part of the arbirtration which is absolutely true, what he requested and received is actually almost the same price...

So I assumed he is bluffing and he wouldn't just mindlessly want to lose money and make me pay also, but from the chat apparently he got triggered.

Now I have officially paid $337 to receive $87 with a bad review,

Thanks upwork?

[#2]

Just wondering if you own Upwork how you deal with these kind of situations? 

[#3]

I'm confused. What exactly did you pay $337 for?

[#4]

Arbitration fee.

[#5]

So you admit that you made mistakes, didn't get the project funded properly, insulted the client instead of trying to resolve the issues, further antagonised him during the dispute resolution, then chose to pay $337 for arbitration over a $87 fee - and this is all Upwork's fault? 

[#6]

Please provide my VAT Code. Because I can't transfer my money. I think you will help me.

[#7]

Hi Saptam,

Value-added tax, or VAT, is a tax that some countries and jurisdictions assess on the supply of goods and services. If you do not have a VAT number, we advise checking with an accountant or government website on your country's tax laws.

- Pradeep