Invitations that look like scam

[alexandreribas]

I've been receiving multiple work invitations daily for projects that look like scam from various regions. Some of the jobs use the same description and ask for contact details.
This is very concerning.

[yofazza]

huh? 🤔

[lizablau]

We've officially entered The Twilight Zone.

[nyonomega0]

Hi Alexandre,

Do you realize that you work for Upwork?

Thank You.

[alexandreribas]

And?

[etrusca]

That sounds a little bizarre.

[nyonomega0]

Oh, I thought the Upwork logo with your name was just a technical glitch.

Since you work for Upwork, why don't you ask them to come up with a fix for scams? Maybe they'll listen to you because they're not listening to us.

[gaspardjack]

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 I thought the Upwork logo with your name was just a technical glitch.

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Maybe the OP is not exactly an employee or a member of the staff, just a freelancer having a contract with Upwork & the logo could be a glitch, but the thing is just hilarious!

But I've noticed something interesting: Upwork is apparently recruiting people for "Scam Prevention"!

[sofia2008]

...And we think this should not be a surprise since you work for Upwork, and that hopefully you have better contact with Upwork than us as all of our multiple comments on the issue were ignored.

[feed_my_eyes]

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Alexandre N wrote:

And?

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You work for Upwork, and you're asking US what's going on at Upwork?

[yofazza]

So it's not they didn't care, but they didn't know 🤣

An update: people becoming victims everyday. Some lost over $1000 in a single shot.

Here's one (not the $1000 one IIRC): https://community.upwork.com/t5/Freelancers/Take-this-job-down/td-p/1044034/jump-to/first-unread-mes...

There's a lot of scam posts like that, where the victims doesn't even came to this forum. So if there's almost at least 1 victim reporting themselves here everyday, there's actually a whole lot more back there. This place is now a scamhaven.

[artkosdesign2]

Yes!! totally, in my case I see more and more suspicious job offers requesting a contact via Telegram.

[pgiambalvo]

Any response from your fellow Upwork employees?

[m_terrazas]

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Alexandre N wrote:

I've been receiving multiple work invitations daily for projects that look like scam from various regions. Some of the jobs use the same description and ask for contact details.
This is very concerning.

---

This is the funniest thing I've seen in a long time.
Thanks for brightening my afternoon!

[milosst686]

Yes, I flagged 15-20 today.
You could create that payment verification is a must, that way you won't have scammers because they won't waste their money here. This way anyone can post a job, and scam some person.
We need to protect freelancers that are new at UpWork because they still didn't learn how they can get scammed. Everyone else is a little bit safer because they are here longer and they know scams when they see them.

Please consider this, and if you need any help with plan or something, I have lot of free time, so i can help you out

[jr-translation]

You only flagged for 5 minutes?

[the-right-writer]

I had to check the date; I thought this was an April fools joke. We, the freelancer cogs in the wheel, have been receiving these scams for 8+ months, with a constant deluge since January. The scams are running from 94% to 96% unless you make your search engine filter out t.me. However, many of us continue to have Upwork send us scams. Your boss refuses to do anything except tell us to flag the scams. And then absolutely nothing changes. Simple, quick, and easy fixes are refused. Upwork has a real incentive to keep the deluge of fake jobs. What do you think is the real count of jobs? The public/investors/clients have no idea how few jobs there are compared to marketing.

It is more than very concerning, especially when Upwork is doing nothing. It is the egregious treatment of freelancers and clients by artificially inflating the number of jobs. This platform will see the effects of this policy, and it already has had an impact. Upwork's reputation is suffering, and it translates to the freelancer's, too. Since Upwork is steadfastly ignoring everyone who has suggestions, comments, or complaints, I guess you are (insert your own phrase) like the rest of us.

[317d23d3]

I received two messages through Upwork's platform from Clients regarding posted projects.

Both seem to be asking me to search for a peculiar and unique username on Upwork, ofcourse I haven't taken any steps at all just yet, but it does come off as a bit .. scammy??

Does anyone know anything about this?

I don't think I'm being overly cautious when I receive two responses from two different Clients that are asking for me to search a username and message someone for an interview..

[pgiambalvo]

If it sounds like a scam, it almost certainly is.

[317d23d3]

Thanks Peter, I've yet to have a clean cut conversation with an actual client who isn't trying to circumvent Upwork or turns out to be a bot, so I have nothing to compare the experience to.. I just got through reporting both just in case. 🙂

[pbarresi]

Michael, I recently re-activated my account and have been shocked at the amount of scams there are now. I, too, have not had a real conversation with a prospective client. I flag these posts and then see them again under new names. Such a waste of time for us freelancers. 

[9a2f87d7]

I have also been receiving these weird invitations for the last couple of weeks.

[pgiambalvo]

Scammers don't even have to try to hide that they're scammers anymore. I just saw two posts from the same client who's been a member since October with a verified payment method that in the actual job title, says he wants to buy Upwork users' accounts. It's just embarassing at this point how easy it is for them to post almost anything they want.