Is this a scam?

[ac60bd95]

Hello, I am new here, and I was assigned by this person named **Edited for Community Guidelines**and they're making me select any of the projects to pay for the registration fee to start the job which is "Document Typing" Here is the projects they sent me: 

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

They're asking me if I am ready to make the payment to start the project, which confuses me and they told me that the registration fee that I'm gonna pay will be refunded back to me immediately after the project is done along side with my payment. They also told me that the project are government officials project given to to this thing called "serverplus" to look for a typist that can handle the project. Which gave me suspicion because it was never part of the job summary, they only said "I need an active USA freelancer to help me retype my screenshot images to ms-word documents" which I thought would be easy, but I never heard that there will be projects that I have to pay as a registration fee to start the job. 

[martina_plaschka · Accepted solution]

Which gave me suspicion because it was never part of the job summary, they only said "I need an active USA freelancer to help me retype my screenshot images to ms-word documents" which I thought would be easy, 

That is the basis of the scam. People thinking there is lots of money in easy unskilled work. There isn't. This is why they are targeting new freelancers. 

[luqman_mak]

Its also agaisnt ToS to communicate with clients off the platform. Basically, any client who tries to contact you through any other means without giving you a valid contract on Upwork is trying to steal your time and money.

I also think it would be a good idea to blur or remove your contact information from screenshots next time you share them.

[pgiambalvo]

Yes, it is a scam.

[6e38530f]

I also had such an order. The client gave me a WhatsApp number and said let's talk there. I told him that it was against the rules of upwork. I immediately realized that this was a scammer.

[morrisonanele]

I believe that is scam alert

[ca99154f]

THANK YOU FOR THIS! I almost got scammed!

[debi-f]

Upwork has changed in the last 1–2 years. There are fewer invitations and fewer jobs, a lot of new freelancers, more connects required to apply, a lot of SCAMMERS, and even when you flag them, Upwork is not helping.

Some suggestions to find real jobs and avoid scammers:

• Don't search jobs only directly at “Find Work”. Go to the “Search for job” space to apply “Filters”.
• One of them is “Payment verified” (although today there are scammers with payment verified and Upwork is not checking it, it could help).
• Other Filter is “Client history”. Check if he posted other jobs, if he hired other freelancers, feedbacks, etc.   
• Check the Date since the client is a member. Usually the scammers are members from the same day they post their jobs, and they didn't hire anyone. 
• DON'T BID for jobs that ask for +20, +40 languages translation, or they publish a list of 15 languages, or invitations too good to be true, even when they have their payment verified. They verify their payment from different countries every day. 
• APPLY TO JOBS THAT FIT YOUR SKILLS. Don't apply to 100 jobs, wasting connects and money.
• ALWAYS CHECK THE CLIENT'S PROFILE before sending a proposal, even when it fits my skills.  
• DON'T APPLY and don't contact if they publish a link (telegram, mail, skype, etc.) outside Upwork.  
• DON'T start working or deliver any work if the contract didn't start for Upwork, and until the client has his payment verified and/or the money funded (specially if it's your first work with this client). 
• DON'T BOOST YOUR BIDS. If you do it, you are paying to Upwork for finding a job instead of earning money from your work. Serious clients will find the best options according to your skills and not according to the amount of bids you use.  
• I suggest not paying for a membership. Just use the 10 connects they give you for free and buy 10 more ($1.5) ONLY when you find a good job for you. 
• I suggest your Profile to be visible to Upwork members and not Public outside Upwork. This way you avoid people outside Upwork (for example, scammers) to find you and enter for posting a job or inviting you.