Upwork Posting Fake Jobs??

[jordonbaade]

Seeing as how they've closed the thread where this is being discussed I'd like to continue here.

If these are just part of some course, how is it that some of the spam listings were from older established accounts?

Are there other contracts that may have been from closed listings for violating ToS that you haven't refunded? How would I know? How would I hold you accountable for holding connects that should be refunded according to your own ToS?

[versailles]

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Jordon B wrote:

Seeing as how they've closed the thread where this is being discussed I'd like to continue here.

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They closed nothing. They just merged your thread with the other thread about the same topic:

https://community.upwork.com/t5/Freelancers/Are-These-Fake-Jobs-Being-Posted/m-p/728437#M443838

[jordonbaade]

Wrong.

Literally go read the last reply, bud.

[jordonbaade]

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Rene K wrote:

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Jordon B wrote:

Seeing as how they've closed the thread where this is being discussed I'd like to continue here.

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They closed nothing. They just merged your thread with the other thread about the same topic:

https://community.upwork.com/t5/Freelancers/Are-These-Fake-Jobs-Being-Posted/m-p/728437#M443838

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Wouldn't want to confuse you without having the reply quoted or a screenshot.  Can you show me where the reply button is?

[versailles]

Click Reply, then click on the quotes:

[jordonbaade]

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Rene K wrote:

Click Reply, then click on the quotes:

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Hey bud, you seem to be missing the point. The thread is closed. Not sure why you're giving me instructions to do something that I literally did in the thread reply you're quoting. Thanks though!

Still curious where that reply button is on the thread that "wasn't" closed.  Can you show me where that is? Or are you just deflecting to pointing out something obvious in some effort to discredit me? 

[kochubei_valeria]

Hi Jordon,

When a job is closed for violating ToS an email notification is sent to all freelancers that have active proposals for that job at the time. All Connects transactions and refunds are recorded in the Connects History report. If you don't see a Connects refund in your Connects History for a job that's been removed and you received a notification for, please let us or Customer Support know. We'll be happy to check.

We won't be able to comment on the status of specific client accounts or share details about removed posts. That said, in general, users may return to their Upwork accounts even if they haven't used them in a while.

[petra_r]

The OP of that thread asked for it to be closed.

[jordonbaade]

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Petra R wrote:

The OP of that thread asked for it to be closed.

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Okay? And?

[jordonbaade]

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Valeria K wrote:

Hi Jordon,

When a job is closed for violating ToS an email notification is sent to all freelancers that have active proposals for that job at the time. All Connects transactions and refunds are recorded in the Connects History report. If you don't see a Connects refund in your Connects History for a job that's been removed and you received a notification for, please let us or Customer Support know. We'll be happy to check.

We won't be able to comment on the status of specific client accounts or share details about removed posts. That said, in general, users may return to their Upwork accounts even if they haven't used them in a while.

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So your solution to figuring out whether your system, which is currently broken and not refunding connects for ToS violations, is that I 'should' get an email. Are the jobs listed on the Connects History report as refunded due to ToS? 

That's my concern, is you say that it should working, and I should just do these things, but the last time you said that in the previous thread come to find out connects aren't being refunded like you laid out. So again, if your system is not properly refunding connects, how can I be certain that you are in fact refunding connects?  If your system flags it wrong in my Connects History and never refunds the connects how would I deduce by looking at that list that you failed to refund me connects?

I've had a few jobs I've flagged and that were taken down after getting to discuss with the client, never had a refund of connects in those cases.

Don't think it should be my job to comb your system and tell you where you've failed to refund me. 

[jordonbaade]

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Valeria K wrote:

Hi Jordon,

When a job is closed for violating ToS an email notification is sent to all freelancers that have active proposals for that job at the time. All Connects transactions and refunds are recorded in the Connects History report. If you don't see a Connects refund in your Connects History for a job that's been removed and you received a notification for, please let us or Customer Support know. We'll be happy to check.

We won't be able to comment on the status of specific client accounts or share details about removed posts. That said, in general, users may return to their Upwork accounts even if they haven't used them in a while.

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So you're declining to answer how this 'course' and 'test jobs' came from existing, established accounts? I keep hearing about how stringent your security systems are, so I'm just curious how it is your system is incapable of comparing two pieces of text to see how similar they are in an effort to flag duplicate and spam posts? I'm curious why a 'course' would be needed by established accounts that show a history of using the system?

Essentially, the explanation doesn't really add up, but I'm seeing a lot of deflection from your staff and community gurus. People will ask very plain things, and you'll ignore them completely, or they'll be answered like they were written in some other context so the original questions are never actually answered. This thread for instance, where a Guru implies the other thread isn't closed, when it is, and when pushed on that, answers something completely different.  Or the other, closed thread, where someone asked about scammers who you are now claiming are 'course takers', and how they're able to get access to existing accounts and your moderator Vladmir responds with some canned response that seems to totally neglect the substance of the question.

I'm not looking on specifics of a specific client or removed posts, I want to know HOW existing accounts on your system seem to get hijacked on the regular for spam and what steps you're taking to prevent that in the future.  I want to know WHY we're given canned responses on the issue when your responses don't really answer all the questions posed. Surely you comment on the issue of your platform being used to repeatedly post mass job listings, an issue that has plagued your platform for years, and what steps you're taking to prevent this in the future and what you're doing to make sure that connects are PROPERLY refunded.

[lauranky]

I would absolutely love an answer as well, but we're not going to get anything.

I did some digging to write an article after watching Upwork rug sweep the security breach and thousands of $ stolen from freelancers as connects. Turns out security breaches are a regular occurance here, resulting in a number of thefts where people have had their accounts drained.

Upwork always deals with it the same way. Canned response after canned response until they stop replying at all. They just shrug their shoulders and move on. Unfortunately as the biggest freelance platform at the moment, people will continue using them no matter how ethically questionable they are.

I've since started building up clientele off of Upwork and no longer apply for new jobs here. It's not difficult for a company to be transparent and care about the people making them their millions. I won't support a business who believes otherwise. 

[lauranky]

How come these jobs are still being posted? Not all of them are being removed, and one today was posted once against from an existing account with an unrelated work history.

Is Upwork still having a security breach? 

[feed_my_eyes]

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Laura K wrote:

Turns out security breaches are a regular occurance here, resulting in a number of thefts where people have had their accounts drained.

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Do you have a link to this article? I've been on this platform for ages and I haunt the forum way more than I should, but this is the first time that I'm hearing this.

[lauranky]

If you do a google search for "Upwork hacked", you'll find a lot of examples. The most recent one (that I know of) was throughout April when a bunch of existing accounts were compromised and used by scammers. 

I want to love upwork, but they make it difficult. 

[kochubei_valeria]

Hi Laura,

I can confirm that we didn't have a security breach in April. 

Please, see my response on this thread for information about the jobs you are referring to (I'll also quote it below). The accounts were not hacked or used by somebody other than their owners to post jobs. The jobs were taken down as it is against the TOS to post duplicate postings and connects were returned to the freelancers who applied for those jobs. If you see a job that you believe is in violation of Upwork TOS, please flag it as inappropriate so that the team could review. 

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Valeria K wrote:

Hey everyone,

We apologize for the delay. We did review the jobs discussed on this thread and found that they were actually created as part of an outside course by a client teaching other clients how to use Upwork. They were posted as a "test job" and we have contacted the course hosts and notified them that this behavior constitutes spam and is a violation of our Terms of Service. The jobs have been taken down, however, we ran into issues with Connects being refunded for them. We have been working on a solution and will make sure the Connects are refunded by end of this week.

I'd also like to reiterate that Upwork team doesn't post jobs on the marketplace without an intention to hire.

[lauranky]

Can you provide a link to the outside course?

[kochubei_valeria]

Laura,

We will not be sharing the link to the course as it was not a course organized by Upwork nor endorsed by Upwork. I'd like to reiterate, however, that we did contact the course hosts and notified them that the behavior they were encouraging constituted spam and was a violation of our Terms of Service

[petra_r]

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Laura K wrote:

If you do a google search for "Upwork hacked", 

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Usually "Upwork hacked" turns out to be "I entered my credentials onto a phishing site and gave someone access to my Upwork account" or "My ex boyfriend logged in" or "a member of my agency...."

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Laura K wrote:

The most recent one (that I know of) was throughout April when a bunch of existing accounts were compromised and used by scammers. 

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Seriously?  

Any evidence for that? Sources? Proof? 

Or just malicious fake news and hoaxes?