Is there any way that a'potential client' looking for freelancers could know my last name...

[#1]

Hi!

Is there anyway that a client looking for freelancers could know my last name from an Upwork search?

I got an email today, not even the address I use for Upwork, asking me to do video work. He is a realtor and needed and intro video. The first email was really bland, but I recognized the kw.com in the address because my friend works for the same realtor. I get an emailback saying that he found me on Upwork and wanted to do some work with me, that he looked at my profile and portfolio etc.I do have an LLC thats rather new buthe would still have to have my last name to look at public records. Iwanted to make sure before I tell this person 

[#2]

If you have any kind of online presence, people can right-click your image and search for it on Google. Or, piece together information from your writing samples to track you down. 

[#3]

Sometimes people track you down from your Upwork profile. It's pretty easy if you have any web presence.

[#4]

I get that but my initial is there not my last name. Plus my account originally was under my maiden name, the email address he contacted me with is not even on Upwork

[#5]

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Grace H wrote:
I get that but my initial is there not my last name. Plus my account originally was under my maiden name, the email address he contacted me with is not even on Upwork

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lol I timed myself finding you and your email. I found you legit in 3 minutes from your Upwork profile. You're not that hard to find.

[#6]

The good news is you can cross "getting stalked by Jennifer M." off your bucket list.

[#7]

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Preston H wrote:

The good news is you can cross "getting stalked by Jennifer M." off your bucket list.

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lol It's one of the many services I offer.

[#8]

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Jennifer M wrote:

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Preston H wrote:

The good news is you can cross "getting stalked by Jennifer M." off your bucket list.

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lol It's one of the many services I offer.

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I'm so jealous. 

[#9]

Which email?

[#10]

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Grace H wrote:
Which email?

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m*ra*e*al*i*a*@ic*****.com ?

Or phone number? 

3X5. X39X. 3X7X

You're really very, very easily found

[#11]

Thanks Petra,

A moderator is looking into it for me -I am guessing identity theft, since he is asking for way more information. But thanks! I didnt even now random people that are not clients or freelancers could browse.

[#12]

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Grace H wrote:

But thanks! I didnt even now random people that are not clients or freelancers could browse.

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You can prevent that by setting your profile visibility (under profile settings) from "public" - which it is now, to "Upwork users only"

[#13]

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Petra R wrote:

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Grace H wrote:
Which email?

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m*ra*e*al*i*a*@ic*****.com ?

Or phone number? 

3X5. X39X. 3X7X

You're really very, very easily found

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Remind me to try and stay on yours and Jen's good side!

[#14]

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Grace H wrote:
I get that but my initial is there not my last name. Plus my account originally was under my maiden name, the email address he contacted me with is not even on Upwork

---

Search your image, your LI profile is on the 2nd page of Google's results. 

[#15]

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Grace H wrote:
I get that but my initial is there not my last name. Plus my account originally was under my maiden name, the email address he contacted me with is not even on Upwork

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You probably do not mean this, but just to be sure...

You do not have an Upwork email address. Clients can, and no doubt have messaged you via Upwork, which in turn does generate email notifications to the email address you have associated with your Upwork account.

Also, if you have website with a domain name, and your easy to find online, it would be a simple matter for a savvy internet user to figure out your email address. Nothing scammy about it.

However, said client did violate more then one section of the Upwork TOS by doing this. Very likely, they were not aware of this, but scammers are here, so be carefull. Suggest to the client they do this through Upwork. If they refuse, it's not worth working for them anyways.

[#16]

Yes I know that. What I meant was the email that I use for my UW account, what I sign in under and where UW sends me updates.
The whole thing was sketchy- definitely scammer,
Il

[#17]

Grace,

the client is violating at least two terms of the ToS

- do not contact outside Upwork unless other party agrees to;

- do not contact outside Upwork before a contract is started.

Be sure to play safe on the ToS.

Give a kind reminder to the client that since they found you on UW, you can only chat on UW until a contract is started.

The whole scenario you just described is how circumvention starts. You've entered the road to the Upwork permaban hammer.

[#18]

Are you suggesting I have something to do with this? I have not responded to anything since he mentioned UW and his search.

[#19]

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Grace H wrote:
Are you suggesting I have something to do with this? I have not responded to anything since he mentioned UW and his search.

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No one is suggesting anything. A fellow freelancer is kindly pointing out that since you have now announced on the Upwork forum that a potential client has contacted you outside Upwork, you must be careful that you do not give the appearance of cooperating with that client because Upwork gets pretty uptight about that stuff. We don't make the rules, we just learn to live with them.  

[#20]

Hi Grace,

Could you please send me a private message with more information about this so that I can check?

Thank you.