Today I dont know if I just got scammed by a client or by upwork or by both? Help me!

[eeb179a1]

So there was this client who hired me to do a voice over job about a month ago. Everything went well, the contract was 350$, so after upwork fee 20% (70$), I had 280$ in my account. Well, isnt that completed? I got my job done and I got paid and I also paid 20% charge to upwork fee. Now, this morning, I recieved an email from Upwork telling me that, the client of this contract had their bank reverse back their payment, so Upwork is freezing my balance and asked me to pay them back 350$ or else my balance will be frozen and they will pull the fund out of my available balance. This means that, even after I completed the job and ended the contract, I still risk getting scammed? Not only do I have to pay back for my job, but I also have to pay full price 350$? How about the 70$(20%) that they deducted from then? So, I got scammed by the client 350$, then 70$ more from upwork? Is this a joke or something?

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[58feaef8]

Great stories, dear Renata. Thank you so much for sharing with us!

[a_lipsey]

Rather than see the posts as blaming you, take it as how they are telling you how to avoid it in the future. None of us can change what already happened, but we can advise on how to avoid it in the future. 

[lowlarh]

Wow, I am sorry this happened to you. I see the situation has been tagged solved. Has it actually been solved?

I am new here and I just started sending out proposals. Reading this and other comments have given me a better understanding of what to look out for. 

[eeb179a1]

Hello Omolola, it's not solved particularly, but there's a link in that "solution post" that is helpful to freelancers. If I saw that article before the job I took fromt the scammer, I could have avoided it. Thank you!

[yofazza]

> If I saw that article before

I say it's not about greed or common sense but more about experience. 

Most of you will laugh when someone fall victim to the cheque sending scam which is mentioned as the "oldest scam" in Wes' post. It's "common sense" to avoid it for most of you.

Well, but people here never heard of that scam and will definitely fall for it EXCEPT that the scam will not work. That oldest-common-sense scam for you, is something new and unthinkable and it could never happen, here. Our scammers laugh at how silly that scam sounds.

There's a lot of things or scam tricks in this world that we don't know yet. I'll say "don't be cocky".

[a_lipsey]

---

Radia L wrote:

> If I saw that article before

I say it's not about greed or common sense but more about experience. 

Most of you will laugh when someone fall victim to the cheque sending scam which is mentioned as the "oldest scam" in Wes' post. It's "common sense" to avoid it for most of you.

Well, but people here never heard of that scam and will definitely fall for it EXCEPT that the scam will not work. That oldest-common-sense scam for you, is something new and unthinkable and it could never happen, here. Our scammers laugh at how silly that scam sounds.

There's a lot of things or scam tricks in this world that we don't know yet. I'll say "don't be cocky".

---

SO true, Radia. I think the one true thing about all scams: it seems too good to be true. If that comes up, then run don't walk. 

[renata101]

---

Radia L wrote:

> If I saw that article before

I say it's not about greed or common sense but more about experience. 

Most of you will laugh when someone fall victim to the cheque sending scam which is mentioned as the "oldest scam" in Wes' post. It's "common sense" to avoid it for most of you.

Well, but people here never heard of that scam and will definitely fall for it EXCEPT that the scam will not work. That oldest-common-sense scam for you, is something new and unthinkable and it could never happen, here. Our scammers laugh at how silly that scam sounds.

There's a lot of things or scam tricks in this world that we don't know yet. I'll say "don't be cocky".

---

Hey Radia,

I agree your comment about experience. This is why I try to post Wes's article when I see someone posting about being scammed. It might not help the person who posted, but at least the people who might be reading about scams for the first time might see it.

Also, some scams work simply because the targets are good people or they may naturally be extremely kind and generous. A lot of refund scams target older adults who don't have that much computer experience. Ironically, they can fall for refund scams because they're honest and empathetic. So we need to teach the kind and generous people in our lives how to be canny and cynical like the people who give advice on Upwork. 🙃

[wlyonsatl]

Jeremiah B.,

You say, "Upwork will slap you with sanctions if they suspect you are attempting to collect outside of their website. Even mailing the client a collections invoice can get your account suspended or banned."

But according to Upwork Moderator Annie Jane B. "the Upwork team also helps the freelancer or agency challenge the reversal (chargeback)...Our team can submit a rebuttal to the client’s bank on the freelancer’s behalf if they provide proof of the work or deliverables. They would need to move quickly, so please provide the requested proof within 48 hours of being notified of the reversal if you’d like us to proceed. Keep in mind that it can take the bank up to 90 days to review and provide their final decision. The client’s bank will have the final say regarding the rebuttal and we have no control over the outcome."

Re: Having a serious issue because of a charg... - Upwork Community

There is no indication Upwork does not allow freelancers to pursue a client to get payment for work completed.

Have you actually tried to pursue a client after they reversed payment to you via a chargeback by their bank?

[spectralua]

Upwork team didn't helps the freelancer challenge the reversal (chargeback). Moreover, they cover the scammer in every possible way. I can't even tell if there really was a chargeback or if Upwork came up with it when he wanted to. I was denied any information even after 90 days.

[a_lipsey]

---

Will L wrote:

Jeremiah B.,

You say, "Upwork will slap you with sanctions if they suspect you are attempting to collect outside of their website. Even mailing the client a collections invoice can get your account suspended or banned."

But according to Upwork Moderator Annie Jane B. "the Upwork team also helps the freelancer or agency challenge the reversal (chargeback)...Our team can submit a rebuttal to the client’s bank on the freelancer’s behalf if they provide proof of the work or deliverables. They would need to move quickly, so please provide the requested proof within 48 hours of being notified of the reversal if you’d like us to proceed. Keep in mind that it can take the bank up to 90 days to review and provide their final decision. The client’s bank will have the final say regarding the rebuttal and we have no control over the outcome."

Re: Having a serious issue because of a charg... - Upwork Community

There is no indication Upwork does not allow freelancers to pursue a client to get payment for work completed.

Have you actually tried to pursue a client after they reversed payment to you via a chargeback by their bank?

---

Will, I'd like to add that I have actually spoken directly to CS when a client's payment method failed and they dragged their feed to pay (they did eventually through bonus) that I was told I would be able to take them to small claims court to pursue payment, although it never got to that point. 

[jeremiah-brown]

Generally speaking - not directed at the OP...

Money and anonymity are a breeding ground for a scammer.  I think many new freelancers get "blinded" by the prospects of controlling their own income limited only by their initiative.  Its easy to get tunnel vision when someone wants to hit the ground running, only to be scooped up by a scammer whose sole purpose in life is to deceive others.  It can happen to anyone.  Look at Bernie Madoff - he scammed other wealthy individuals - many of those individuals are well-educated and very competent (you don't get wealthy by making poor financial choices).   

[martina_plaschka]

Bernie Madoff didn't get rich by making good financial choices, he got rich by scamming people. 

Why was he successful scamming, among others, rich and powerful people? In one word: entitlement. They didn't doubt that through him, they had access to crazy returns that were far from anything the market was paying. They didn't doubt that they belonged to an exclusive club that could access returns that were not available to the common people. Mix that with greed, and you have what it takes to fall for an advance fee scam like the copy/paste stuff we see so often.  

[58feaef8]

Please do not be discouraged,  SokSambath. Take it as a lesson learned and move on.

What you have experienced might actually help you to avoid a bigger scam in the future.  Your post might also help so many freelancers in the world as well. Thank you.

[LuiggiR]

Hello everyone,

A number of comments have been already removed or edited because they were in violation of Community Guidelines and this thread has now been closed. Please, be mindful of the Community Guidelines and be respectful toward other users when posting.