Request to register with Facebook account by a client

[afrassati]

Hi everybody,

I applied for a job I was intrested in few days ago and today the client sent me a message saying that I should register on their website to take some tests (which is fine to me), but also that they are screening their candidates through their facebook account, so I should have my friends' list set to public.

Has this happened to anyone else?

Is it safe?

The client is rated 4.88 and has thousands of hours billed, which makes me think it is reliable, but still I don't feel much confortable...

Thanks to anyone giving me suggestions!

A.

[ruth_bowles]

I have never had a prospective or actual client ask me that. Maybe tell them you are unfamiliar with that particular screening procedure, and ask them to explain how it helps vet you as a developer, writer, translator, etc.

If they stop talking to you, then they might have only been interested in mining your information from your friends list. If they can give you a logical reason, then maybe its fine. I seriously can't think of a reason that a business stranger needs to see my friend's list though.

[afrassati]

Hi Ruth,

Thank you for your answer.

On their website they say: "In order to prevent against spam accounts, we use Facebook as a tool to verify you are a real person. We promise to only use this information to verify your identity, and never to access your account or post on your page."

I think it is something they use to do, but I would like some more reassurances...

[g_vasilevski]

Hi Alessandra,

You can send me the job posting link and the details for this verification via PM so that our team can investigate this further, thank you!

[ruth_bowles]

No, I still don't like it. You don't need access to my friend's list for that. Plus spam FB accounts try to add people to their friend's list all of the time.

Even if my account is locked down (which it is), you can still see when I changed my profile picture throughout the years. My Facebook account is years old, so that should be good enough. Plus Upwork does it's own verification.

Better yet, why don't they just do a video or phone call with you? I have done Skype and Upwork video and phone interviews with prospective clients before. Nothing can assure someone that you're real better than that.

[allergywriter]

Run!!!!!!

Tell them you will be more than happy to take tests, however your FB account is private, and as a human they should be able to understand why other humans keep their social media private.

[mwiggenhorn]

And free tests are against the Terms of Service.  They do the Facebook thing so that their communications with you are off the platform.  My advice?  Don't do it!

[cdinkel]

I would run as fast as you can. It's interesting the level of clients on upwork. They screen us verify us. But there is little they do to verify a customer aka client is a good business. The thousands of hours billed means nothing. Big business in the real world uses your social media accounts to figure you out. The testing is bs just like sending writing samples that basically provides the client with a usable document. Just be careful. I'd like to know how well they screen companies. Odesk was better. But it is what it is.