Please help me figure out if this is a scam

[ionica2000]

Hello! I am new to Upwork and to freelancing. Today a client approached me and asked to talk on WhatsApp 9(no problem here) then asked me to send 15 $ as a registration fee for my insurance, also the client mentioned that the payment will be made through Paypal, not the Upwork payment platform.

 ”You are required to send a registration fee of 15$ through PayPal, MoneyGram or western union to cater for your insurance as you will be registered as one of our employees.”

 ”We could not use Upwork because payments will be sent directly to you by our institution.”

 Let me know your thoughts! Thank you in advance for all your answers!

[petra_r · Accepted solution]

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Ioan B wrote:

Hello! I am new to Upwork and to freelancing. Today a client approached me and asked to talk on WhatsApp 9(no problem here) 

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Yes, that actually a problem, as it is a violation of Upwork's terms of service to communicate outside the platform before a contract is in place.

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Ioan B wrote:

then asked me to send 15 $ as a registration fee for my insurance,

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Obviously a scam

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Ioan B wrote:

 ”We could not use Upwork because payments will be sent directly to you by our institution.”

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Another violation of Upwok's terms of service. Flag the contract as inappropriate.

NEVER communicate with clients outside the platform before you're hired and NEVER agree to be paid outside the platform.

Both can get you banned.

[ionica2000]

Thank you! Have a nice day!

[moonraker]

It's a scam, and payments off Upwork are also against the rules.

Report it. 

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[martina_plaschka]

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Ioan B wrote:

Hello! I am new to Upwork and to freelancing. Today a client approached me and asked to talk on WhatsApp 9(no problem here) then asked me to send 15 $ as a registration fee for my insurance, also the client mentioned that the payment will be made through Paypal, not the Upwork payment platform.

 ”You are required to send a registration fee of 15$ through PayPal, MoneyGram or western union to cater for your insurance as you will be registered as one of our employees.”

 ”We could not use Upwork because payments will be sent directly to you by our institution.”

 Let me know your thoughts! Thank you in advance for all your answers!

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There is nothing about this that isn't a scam. 

[roberty1y]

There's some disgusting pond life lurking here on Upwork. They'll try maybe 20 freelancers in the hope that one of them is naive enough to pay the $15.