Reversed money without my fault

[dijatul]

Few days ago I was hired by a  job. I successfully completed the job and client paid me with bonus,but he forgot to end the contarct .His payment method was verified. He already spend money to hire freelancer.

After 2 days later i saw, may be when I woke up in the morning, my financial transaction has been hold surprisingly.My client account suspended by ODESK.  I contacted customer support and provided all specimen what they asked. i gave them every single details.

After somedays later my money gone.

I contacted ODESK ,they said they nothing can do. My question is if My client  account suspended and why all punishment for me. I tried to contact my client but he is still offline. What is my fault, still I dont know?

Whats the reason that ODESK reversed all  money that client paid me. If that client was fraud ,cheated on odesk how can i be so sure about that. I am really confused about and also frustrated about that matter.

I wish further it will never happen any of freelancer. Its too much painful.

[setumonroe]

Hi Khadezatul,

Was it a hourly paid contract or fixed price?

[whogg72]

Setu,

Either way, she is protected IF she had a fixed price or hourly contract (escrow or oDesk guarantee). IF, unfortunately, is the key word...

Cheers,

William

[setumonroe]

What seems strange is that she says the payment was reversed.

Hourly contract is guaranteed as long as the client's payment is verified. But i am not too sure about fixed price without a funded milestone (if that can even exist these days).

[whogg72]

Pretty sure it can't (though not 100%)...

[dijatul]

Hi  everyone...

I already told all of you that It was fixed price rate and client paid me with bonus.

After that my clients account suspended.

After that My money gone. I contacted Odesk ,they said to me,My money reversed from my account.

Thanks

Anything else that you want to know. You all are really helpful

[dijatul]

HI there . it was fixed price rate .

thank you

[suznee]

On hourly if she did not keep good memos, the job could have been disputed, as well as if she was on a guarantee job, but on guarantee she would have been paid. So I assume it was either a dispute or fixed rate dispute. But either way she should have been given a reason.

Or the client had an expired credit card.

[setumonroe]

Khadezatul, since it was a fixed price project, was the milestone funded?

[dijatul]

HI Setu,

Ofcourse it was milestone

Thanks

[suznee]

Did they give you a reason it was reversed?

[dijatul]

I am sorry to say you that , i asked odesk  a zillion times, They answers they are not able to tell me about anything and its policy violation.

I always wanted to know that and asked them if i dont have any fault then why odesk reversed my job money.


they didnt answer yet.

Regards

Dijatul

[setumonroe]

It is indicated here

https://support.odesk.com/entries/23153768-Fixed-Price-with-Escrow-Protection-for-Freelancers

that escrowed funds are to ensure the client's ability to pay. So as long as the job was funded (means there was an escrow amount) you should be able to file a dispute based on this

https://support.odesk.com/entries/23109971-How-do-I-dispute-for-release-of-escrowed-funds-

for escrow protection. Afterall this is the purpose of the change. On top of the fact that the funds were released to you, I cannot see how or why the payment would have been reversed.

Is there some other factor you are leaving out?

[dijatul]

HI setu,

I already told you that he paid me and he didnt end the  contract.anything else.please let me know

regards

dijatul

[setumonroe]

Based on your reply, it seems that there was a policy violation. Since you are not getting full details from Customer Support, it will be difficult to understand much. As long as the violation was not on your side I would think that you can file a dispute to get back the money.

I would recommend contacting customer support and asking about filing a dispute, or just go ahead and get it started.

Maybe one of the Mods can shed more guidance as to the steps to be taken.

[dijatul]

This was handeling by odesk hire authority.

I contacted customer support they told me i should wait.....I contacted also hire authority who was handeling this case ,his name is Blanche,he is the hier authority and he also told me ...he has nothing to do.......

[setumonroe]

Everyone here in the community can only provide guidance in as far as we know how to. I would once again suggest one of two things:

Visit this link

https://support.odesk.com/entries/23109971-How-do-I-dispute-for-release-of-escrowed-funds-

and follow the instructions to file a dispute.

Or you can wait for a Moderator to comment on this thread and give further instructions - since Customer Service seems to be a dead end.

[whogg72]

Something smells rotten in Denmark...(sorry, Shakespeare)...you have a fixed price contract, you have escrow protection. You have an hourly contract (with time logged via oDesk time thingy) you have guarantee. You don't have either, you have no protection, period. That is, unless oDesk is screwing its freelancers...then something REALLY smells rotten in Denmark...

[setumonroe]

Once oDesk uses the word "violation", then there must be something else involved - whether real or apparent. So its a wait and see matter.

[dijatul]

I tried everything to contacted them but no result.....I asked several times...but no result

[kochubei_valeria]

Hi Khadezatul,

It looks like the funds were reversed due to some issues with the transaction and because the funds were not covered by the oDesk Guarantee. Once your client sorts out the issues on his end, he can issue a bonus to you to cover the reversed payment.

[setumonroe]

Hi Valeria,

Your response is both interesting and troubling. The oDesk Guarantee therefore only covers hourly contracts - fullstop. Therefore there is a false sense of protection associated with fixed escrowed contracts. Because like in this case, even though money was escrowed and paid, the freelancer's income was reversed because of a problem with the client's card or account etc. Therefore where is the benefit of funded milestones? This is worrying because at the end of the day the freelancer followed the regulations, worked, and didn't get paid, even under an "improved system".

I have learned one thing: only work on hourly contracts - afterall it is the only type that offers real protection in the form of a guarantee. oDesk needs to stop pushing the idea that this new escrow system makes business safer for the freelancer.

[stefan-c]

Setu, this should answer some of your questions - https://odesk.zendesk.com/entries/23089781-What-are-the-differences-between-hourly-and-fixed-price-j...

[setumonroe]

Hi Stefan,

I am aware of the distinctions. What I am saying is that the freelancer conducted the contract according to the books and got shafted. Hourly ***(typing too fast - thanks Stefan) Fixed-price contracts are protected under Escrow Protection as indicated here. So how is it that this was not invoked? - rather, how is it that the freelancer's balance was reversed?

I would like a response to this.

[stefan-c]

Just to be clear:

Protection

• Hourly:  Covered by the oDesk Guarantee.
• Fixed-Price:  Covered by Escrow Protection.

Hourly contracts are not protected under Escrow Protection, but oDesk Guarantee :).

---------------------

I can't really answer your questions, I still have a hard time understanding why is there a 6 days "security period" for funds that are supposed to already be in an "escrow". It's like "yeah, the money is safe in our escrow but we're going to impose a 6 days security period after the funds are released to you just in case... " - in case what? In case the client files a chargeback with their bank or credit card fraud is involved, in which case I'm not going to get my money?

Oh, and as for "only work on hourly contracts - afterall it is the only type that offers real protection in the form of a guarantee" (I think I've failed to properly address that) - well, don't be so sure about it.

I remember some people complaining the dispute team removed their tracked time because.. they used a browser.

[suznee]

---

Stefan wrote:

Oh, and as for "only work on hourly contracts - afterall it is the only type that offers real protection in the form of a guarantee" (I think I've failed to properly address that) - well, don't be so sure about it.

I remember some people complaining the dispute team removed their tracked time because.. they used a browser.

---

 Stefan,

I work in a browser all day and have for several years. I doubt it is working in a browser that would cause an issue. The help desk I work on is in a browser. No other way to do my work as well as all my other work I do is in a browser. 

I assume it is due to being on pages they should be on when working. I also assume it would be up to the Client what they think is appropriate or not. 

[setumonroe]

Yea, I am patiently waiting on Valeria. She will know what's up.

[dijatul]

Hi,

I contacted Odesk support center and they said my problem was handeling by the risk management team. i contacted also risk management team but they told me nothing. They told me that I didnt break Any policy ...all fault was my clients..........I worked for my client and after I rewarded by  punisment.....My money reveresd without any fault of mine.

I have no idea how odesk support us,is this the way ?

Regards

Dijatul

[setumonroe]

Hopefully Valeria will revisit the thread and give a better understanding of why the Escrow Protection did not come in play.

Just be patient a little longer.

[kochubei_valeria]

Hi Setu,

Although Escrow and the oDesk Guarantee do provide protection for freelancers' earnings in the vast majority of cases, there are few situations when reversals may happen. For more information what those cases may be please refer to the article 6.4 of the User Agreement. We will not be able to share any details about particular reasons why Khadezatul's funds were reversed here in the Community for privacy reasons. The oDesk Team is working on resolving the issue and she can find all the details in the messages sent to her through the ticket.

Thank you for understanding.

 

[setumonroe]

Thanks for the answer Valeria. It is obviously not as clear cut as the OP indicated.

[stefan-c]

Suzanne, no need to assume. I'm pretty sure those two persons made it clear the browser was *part of the job scope*.

I understand *a browser* is the only way you can do your work, as a matter of fact that's what the OP (Mark K) implied for himself when he said "This makes web development very challenging lol." (referring to not using a browser; note that he is a web developer).

If it happened to two persons it's enough to create a precedent, it doesn't need to happen to all of us :).

And yes, I'm going to take their word for it, I don't see any reason why people with pretty solid work history/feedback would make up stories like that.

As for "being up to the Client what they think is appropriate or not" - no.

I would leave that to a well trained, impartial person (or persons) that can take their time and make an objective decision based on the job requirements/discussions/specs/whatever. Having an (obviously) unsatisfied client filing a dispute decide what's appropriate or not - not cool.