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nahar_shima
Community Member

New to Upwork please help

I been active on Upwork for over a week and all I been getting is scams. Recently I got a proposal from a verified client but something doesn’t feel right. This is the message I got recently after chatting.

“Sounds good. I just wanted to make sure you would be comfortable with customers' questions. So it would be a good idea to give you login access to our database which has a lot of these queries customers want answered. If you give me your email address, I would be happy to pass your information to our team and they'll be able to get in touch with you about the next steps”.

This person has not ask to interview me or anything but wants to login to his site to see questions from customers?? Also no contract. Not sure what to do.
12 REPLIES 12
grimesr
Community Member

Run as fast as you can away.

lysis10
Community Member


Shima N wrote:
I been active on Upwork for over a week and all I been getting is scams. Recently I got a proposal from a verified client but something doesn’t feel right. This is the message I got recently after chatting.

“Sounds good. I just wanted to make sure you would be comfortable with customers' questions. So it would be a good idea to give you login access to our database which has a lot of these queries customers want answered. If you give me your email address, I would be happy to pass your information to our team and they'll be able to get in touch with you about the next steps”.

This person has not ask to interview me or anything but wants to login to his site to see questions from customers?? Also no contract. Not sure what to do.

Normally, I would go with gut and agree with others that it's a scam, but I'm not so sure about this one. If your gut says it's a scam, you should probably listen to it but I could totally see a client doing something like this. You can't take "database" literally here. It sounds like he might be giving you permissions to see the questions so you can tell him if it's something you think you can do. But again, you have more context than I do, so maybe you are right. As long as there is a contract offer and you're getting paid on Upwork.

grimesr
Community Member

I will modify my remarks slight. How about replying back and tell that you would like a different way to communicate the information if possible. If you want, you could aslo make a "temporay" gmail type account that doesn't reveal your real name and use it. If all goes well, then you can decide how to proceed.

a_lipsey
Community Member

I agree you could feel this out with a temporary address. And take a look at the info, but before doing any work, insist upon the contract through Upwork. If they ask for personal information, end all communication. It may be for real. I have access to many clients' servers and databases. They may just not realize there are steps to be done in Upwork before you start working. I have had clients that I had to walk through setting up a contract too. I'd say you could investigate a little further. It's a yellow flag, not quite red yet. 

How would I make a temporary email? This persons reviews and payment methods seems legit so I just want to find out further more with out giving my info.

 

 


Shima N wrote:
How would I make a temporary email? This persons reviews and payment methods seems legit so I just want to find out further more with out giving my info.


Open a gmail account (or another gmail account) it's free and fairly safe. But do be careful. Do not be tempted to be paid off site, even if the job is kosher. You will have your account terminated. 

Go to Google, search Gmail, and select sign up or set up an account or whatever it says. I have like 10 gmail accounts that I've used for different things in the past, including throwaways for situations like this. 

Okay I just created a new email for this lol hopefully everything goes well. Otherwise more time wasted.

If you don't mind and have the time and energy, would you mind reported back here on how this comes out. If you don't, it is like reading a mystery book missing the final chapter. Thanks.

I don’t mind at all, maybe this can help someone else as well if something like this comes up. So stay tuned!
colettelewis
Community Member


Shima N wrote:
I been active on Upwork for over a week and all I been getting is scams. Recently I got a proposal from a verified client but something doesn’t feel right. This is the message I got recently after chatting.

“Sounds good. I just wanted to make sure you would be comfortable with customers' questions. So it would be a good idea to give you login access to our database which has a lot of these queries customers want answered. If you give me your email address, I would be happy to pass your information to our team and they'll be able to get in touch with you about the next steps”.

This person has not ask to interview me or anything but wants to login to his site to see questions from customers?? Also no contract. Not sure what to do.

____________________

Shima, 

It does sound dodgy. On the other hand there is nothing to stop you communicating with a client off site, provided all payment is made through Upwork.  

 

As you are new, you are right to feel uncomfortable and it is very possibly a scam. I don't think at this  stage you should hand out your email address (to anyone), but say before you do so you would need to have more details about the job, and then to have a contract set up through Upwork. 

 

If he prevaricates, report him. 


Nichola L wrote:

If he prevaricates, report him. 


I actually had to look that one up -

 

speak or act in an evasive way.
"he seemed to prevaricate when journalists asked pointed questions"
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