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bundie702
Community Member

My profile wording has been hijacked for clients' job descriptions

I just flagged THREE jobs in the field of fiction editing that directly lifted text from my profile (I'm a top-rated freelancer who commands higher fees) for their job descriptions, for which they are offering $30 to $50 (for a job that takes four to five hours if done correctly). It's gotten so bad that I have had to create a macro for my complaint, only cutting and pasting the actual text from the respective listings.

 

This situation is out of control. I have repeatedly asked Upwork to remove these listings and inform the clients that they are to use their own words, not plagiarize mine. I feel as if the value of my work is being cheapened by these low-paying jobs (to which people are applying). I believe they have been removing the listings (this has been going on for several months), but the clients are simply re-listing the jobs.  

 

Listing #1, from the UK: "You should be able to identify, grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, consistency, and sentence structure, and also spotting issues with the plot, setting. Overused/misused/missing words, overused phrases, incorrect facts, redundancies, contradictions, implausibilities, confusing narrative, pronoun misuse, adverb overuse, transitions, tense, clarity, syntax, pacing, and line editing.
I am looking to pay $50 per 10k words."

 

Listing #2, also from the UK: "I expect copy editing and line editing including grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, consistency, and sentence structure, spotting issues with the plot, setting, overused/misused/missing words, overused phrases, incorrect facts, redundancies, contradictions, implausibility, confusing narrative, pronoun misuse, adverb misuse/overuse, point-of-view errors, transitions, tense, clarity, syntax and pacing etc. I am looking to pay $50 per 10K words edited."

 

Listing #3, from Canada: "We expect grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, consistency, and sentence structure, and also spotting issues with the plot, setting, overused/misused/missing
words, overused phrases, incorrect facts, redundancies, contradictions, implausibilities, confusing narrative, pronoun misuse, adverb overuse, point-of-view errors, transitions, tense, clarity, syntax, pacing, and line editing. I am currently looking to pay between 35-50$ per 10k words, depending on experience and quality of work."

 

My profile text: (Note that my list of included services used to begin with "...spotting issues with the plot, setting..." before I revised it): "...typos, overused/misused/missing words, incorrect facts, inconsistencies, redundancies, contradictions, implausibilities, pacing, confusing narrative, pronoun misuse, adverb overuse, point-of-view (in fiction) errors, tense, transitions, clarity, syntax, and of course, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure."

 

Upwork moderators, what can be done about this blatant theft/plagiarism of my words?

 

 

5 REPLIES 5
65dab6ce
Community Member

Hi Bettye,

I believe this is a test Upwork is running that pulls text from the invited freelancers' profile as job description (or something to that effect) Can't find the thread right now but another freelancer posted about this and the mods explained. Apparently it doesn't seem to be working as they thought.

Hopefully, someone will come along and explain here.

 

 

 

kochubei_valeria
Community Member

Hi Bettye,

 

I'm sorry about this frustrating experience. This cannot be due to the test Remi is referring to, however, as that test doesn't involve pre-filled job descriptions. The clients would still have to complete their job description themselves. What you're describing sounds like clients may be copying content from your private profile. Unfortunately, we can't prevent people from accessing public content on your profile. However, if you flag a job post, the team will definitely review and action it according to our TOS.

~ Valeria
Upwork

Yes, I agree it can't be part of the test; I never received invitations
to interview for these positions. Guess I'll just keep flagging them.
The macro does make it easier, at least.

I simply made the fact that my text has been hijacked the opening paragraph of my profile, adding that I would never provide such thorough editing for the $50 the clients who bogarted my words are offering. It's worked out well; I often get one or two invitations to interview each day.


Bettye U wrote:

I simply made the fact that my text has been hijacked the opening paragraph of my profile, adding that I would never provide such thorough editing for the $50 the clients who bogarted my words are offering. It's worked out well; I often get one or two invitations to interview each day.


Interesting approach, I kind of like it 🙂

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