@Urgent Help

[0f20112c]

I have a new client who i am app testing for and they want to give me a virtual credit card and use it on their website and I have to enter it in and use my name and address! Is this legal?

[prestonhunter]

re: "I have a new client who i am app testing for and they want to give me a virtual credit card and use it on their website and I have to enter it in and use my name and address! Is this legal"

It does not matter if it is legal.

What matters is if it is a violation of Upwork ToS.

Or in other words: Is it against the rules of this platform or not.

Short answer:
You are doing app testing.

This is part of app testing.

I myself enter fake credit card information into web applications that I create in order to test them.

IF I KNOW THAT THIS IS A FAKE CREDIT CARD NUMBER GENERATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF TESTING then I will definitely use it,along with a fake name, and fake address, to test the app.

THIS iS PART OF TESTING apps and web applications.

On the other hand... If this is a real, usuable credit card number, and the client wants you to only use your real name and real address...

Then there might be something squirrely going on. This very well COULD BE COMPLETELY LEGAL, but it that doesn't matter. What matters is that this may be a violation of the ToS of one of Upwork's "corporate neighbors", whose ToS Upwork stipulates that freelancers don't violate.

Based only on what you have told us in your original post, this situation may be:

a) completely aboveboard and legitimate

b) ethically questionable but not ACTUALLY addressed in Upwork ToS

c) borderline/gray area

d) a clear violation of Upwork ToS

What I recommend you do is ASK:
"For better testing, may I enter various fake names an addresses and report the results?"

and

"Is this a fake credit card number generated specifically for testing purposes?"

If the answer to these questions are "yes," then I have to assume that this is legitimate app testing.

[0f20112c]

How do I know if its a fake, and shouldn't it matter if its not legal? I don't want to be given stolen cc info and enter it in under my name? 

[prestonhunter · Accepted solution]

That's why I said you should ask.

If you are allowed to use fake name/fake address, and you know this is a fake credit card number, then this is legitimate app testing.

But if you are supposed to use your real name and address, then it is likely that this is a "scheme" and not a real job. And we need to find out more.

Why did I say it doesn't matter if it is legal or not?

Okay, perhaps I should rephrase that.

No, you don't want to do something illegal.

But that is usually not the main consideration in situations like this.

Usually what we need to watch out for is if something violates Upwork ToS.

MANY THINGS ARE LEGAL, but you still aren't allowed to do them on Upwork.

For example, IT IS LEGAL for a client who hires you to pay with Venmo.

BUT IT IS AGAINST THE RULES on Upwork.

That's an example.

Just because something is "legal", it doesn't necessarily mean it is "allowed" on Upwork.

[0f20112c]

Right, I get that.  Okay, that makes sense, I'm just frantic right now, as they are waiting for me to do this, but I have told them I have to wait to hear from upwork to make sure I am not in violation if I do this.  Who do I contact to find out for sure.  

[prestonhunter]

re: "Who do I contact to find out for sure."

Ask questions here in the Forum. Then make your decision.

It is not Upwork's intention that you "contact" them to ask whether a specific job is legitimate.

You shouldn't be waiting for anyone from Support to answer that question for you.

[alexandernovikov]

Of course not. They are giving you a number of a real, stolen credit card and you will unwittingly commit a crime using it, and they will pocket the money. It's a scam to cash out stolen credit card numbers.