What does upwork mean by "we already took action on reported Freelancer"?

[2591126f]

I complained about a freelancer (I had hired her)  who was using a Fake Picture. The picture belonged to another person in a different country.

I had forgotten about it  but then I received an email from upwork saying " We took action on that profile". Out of curiosity I checked it the profile was still active, the profile had a hire button (so does not look like it was even limited ), The fake picture was still there. Even the Rising Talent Badge was still there. 

What action does upwork talks about?

This is similar to another one i reported a few months back. The freelancer  outsourced my work to a third person. That third person was all over google searching on how to do that Job (Caught in Screen shots). One of the screen shots even  had  email  of the third person open . That email contained  a verbatim copy of the instructions I had given to original freelancer. The freelancer later accepted that she had taken help of a third person (she termed it a small matter).

I provided details to Customer Support. I was assured action. I do not know what action was taken. The profile is still there .

Both the times I was suggested by Customer support to seek refund from freelancers, which was not my concern. 

I am not asking for refund. I am responsible for all my hires good or bad.

  I hired them.  I paid them- Matter ends there.

I am not even asking you to share any private details about any specific profile

But should not upwork take the complaint seriously or atleast let us know that it can take no action on scammers. We will not take time to even inform. Atleast don't insult us by saying . "Thanks based in your compkaint we took action against freelancer profile", when you certainly have not taken any action.

Why all this drama of " we take all efforts to keep platform safe for everyone".?

[g_vasilevski]

Hi Vivek,

I understand your frustration and the inconvenience this had caused you.

Just to confirm, do you refer to the freelancer that you`ve reported on your newest ticket? If yes, I can confirm that proper actions were taken. If you have any additional questions let me know, thank you.

[2591126f]

Goran,

Yes..Thats the newest ticket.

If you insist action was taken , Upwork must have taken some action which lesser mortals  like me cannot understand.

But to me that definitely means that Upwork allows freelancer to fake Picture (Even a google search for their image would confirm it)and in all likelihood Fake identity.

I cannot speak for others ,it is just my personal opinion but I will certainly have less confidence on this platform from now.

Thanks any way for your reply

[versailles]

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Vivek K wrote:

I cannot speak for others ,it is just my personal opinion but I will certainly have less confidence on this platform from now.

---

Let's say that you need to be careful. 

Have a look a this: Sooooo many "The Aussie Voice" freelancers from all over the world...

[2591126f]

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Rene K wrote:

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Vivek K wrote:

I cannot speak for others ,it is just my personal opinion but I will certainly have less confidence on this platform from now.

---

Let's say that you need to be careful. 

Have a look a this: Sooooo many "The Aussie Voice" freelancers from all over the world...

---

Thanks for thread Rene. That has helped me understand the extent of problem .

I accept that I need to be more careful. I was actually not expecting that Upwork can have each and every profile verified. But It was actually my expectaion that when such case are brought to their notice they would take proper action. That was a bit disappointing.

I will be a bit more careful from now.

Thanks again.

[abinadab-agbo]

Hi! Vivek.
Note that wrt to the fake pic issue, the wheels of Upwork verification can be slow to grind. But they usually eventually come around to doing the job.

Upwork would typically follow it's procedure for verifying profiles and won't just ban the profile because and immediately you ask.

They have a certain time frame they follow, giving the other side sufficient time to gather needed verification docs (if they have one) to make their case (if they have one). They won't immediately bring down the Upwork verification hammer on them immediately you said they should. Upwork are not puppets.
Also, you can't be prosecutor in a case and also act as judge in that case.

Have some respekt for UW.
As a large organisation, expect that they would have proceduces to follow.
Thanks!

[feed_my_eyes]

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Abinadab A wrote:
Hi! Vivek.
Note that wrt to the fake pic issue, the wheels of Upwork verification can be slow to grind. But they usually eventually come around to doing the job.

Upwork would typically follow it's procedure for verifying profiles and won't just ban the profile because and immediately you ask.

They have a certain time frame they follow, giving the other side sufficient time to gather needed verification docs (if they have one) to make their case (if they have one). They won't immediately bring down the Upwork verification hammer on them immediately you said they should. Upwork are not puppets.
Also, you can't be prosecutor in a case and also act as judge in that case.

Have some respekt for UW.
As a large organisation, expect that they would have proceduces to follow.
Thanks!

---

Goran confirmed that "proper actions were taken". So no, this isn't a case of the OP needing to have patience.

[abinadab-agbo]

'Oft, the FL would be given a friendly reminder of the need to verify ID. No deadline is usually given this first time.

But after a while (maybe a couple of weeks/a month, the freelancer would then be given another reminder along with account limitation, and an ASAP deadline if he wants to avoid permaban.

IMHO, step 1 qualifies as action.

[feed_my_eyes]

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Abinadab A wrote:
'Oft, the FL would be given a friendly reminder of the need to verify ID. No deadline is usually given this first time.

But after a while (maybe a couple of weeks/a month, the freelancer would then be given another reminder along with account limitation, and an ASAP deadline if he wants to avoid permaban.

IMHO, step 1 qualifies as action.

---

If it takes "a couple of weeks/a month" to investigate a serious TOS violation (and I'm not talking so much about the fake photo; the second case is far worse), then the OP is entirely justified in losing confidence in the marketplace. IMHO.

[2591126f]

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Abinadab A wrote:
'Oft, the FL would be given a friendly reminder of the need to verify ID. No deadline is usually given this first time.

But after a while (maybe a couple of weeks/a month, the freelancer would then be given another reminder along with account limitation, and an ASAP deadline if he wants to avoid permaban.

IMHO, step 1 qualifies as action.

---

Abhinadab,

I am definitely not trying to be a Judge or even a proecutor. I am an unhappy customer. And I cannot stop voicing my convern Just because Upwork is a Big Organisation. 

I have waited for sufficient time.

If your read my post clearly, You will see I talk about two cases The second one (who outsourced my work to a third person) happend several months ago.

The first case (Fake Pic) happened a few weeks ago.

Let us take your second assumption that Freelancer has been asked to Verify their identity without being given a time frame or limiting their profile- What make you think that it is a great idea to let freelancer work with  (and possibly scam)  a few more clients before coming clean.

Forget Clients, How does that Help you as an honest freelancer?

I do not  know where that puppet reference came from. 

Upwork is a market place and if it is brought to its notice that something wrong is happening at its market, it is its job to investigate it.

I cannot help if you get offended because a big organization is being questioned for their failure to implement rules.

[2591126f]

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Christine A wrote:

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Abinadab A wrote:
Hi! Vivek.
Note that wrt to the fake pic issue, the wheels of Upwork verification can be slow to grind. But they usually eventually come around to doing the job.

Upwork would typically follow it's procedure for verifying profiles and won't just ban the profile because and immediately you ask.

They have a certain time frame they follow, giving the other side sufficient time to gather needed verification docs (if they have one) to make their case (if they have one). They won't immediately bring down the Upwork verification hammer on them immediately you said they should. Upwork are not puppets.
Also, you can't be prosecutor in a case and also act as judge in that case.

Have some respekt for UW.
As a large organisation, expect that they would have proceduces to follow.
Thanks!

---

Goran confirmed that "proper actions were taken". So no, this isn't a case of the OP needing to have patience.

---

Exactly. Infact, I was not even going to check if they did not email me stating that.

[versailles]

Upwork, see what happens when you're not listening?

See?

[2591126f]

Just Checked the Profile again

It Now says:

This profile is no longer available. Browse other freelancer profiles here.

So I think, action was finally taken.

Thanks  everyone.

[feed_my_eyes]

---

Vivek K wrote:

Just Checked the Profile again

It Now says:

This profile is no longer available. Browse other freelancer profiles here.

So I think, action was finally taken.

Thanks  everyone.

---

I'm glad that your persistence paid off.

[2591126f]

Thanks Christine.
I feel happy that there is atleast one less fake profile on upwork.
☺

[feed_my_eyes]

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Vivek K wrote:

This is similar to another one i reported a few months back. The freelancer  outsourced my work to a third person. That third person was all over google searching on how to do that Job (Caught in Screen shots). One of the screen shots even  had  email  of the third person open . That email contained  a verbatim copy of the instructions I had given to original freelancer. The freelancer later accepted that she had taken help of a third person (she termed it a small matter).

I provided details to Customer Support. I was assured action. I do not know what action was taken. The profile is still there .

---

So a freelancer was hired by the OP, they in turn hired another [completely unqualified] freelancer to do the work for a lesser rate, but their profile is still active. Just how far does a person need to go in order to be permanently banned on Upwork?

[kat303]

Clients are Upwork's bread and butter. This is where their revenue comes from, where their profiles reside. Without clients, there would be no Upwork. If a freelancers leaves there are 1000 more waiting in the wings to do that specific job. If a client leaves, although there may be 1000 freelancers, there will be no job for them to work on. 

Having said that, I don't understand why it takes so long for Upwork to suspend freelancer's accounts where they are clearing not their accounts. There are freelancers copying word for word other freelancers profiles, there are freelancers who farm out their job without letting the clients know, there are freelancers who copy samples from the internet and post them as their own work in their portfolio and there are freelancers who take someone's picture off the internet and post it as their own.

There should be Zero tolerance for any freelancer who does that. They should not be given a chance to correct their profiles, or to post a picture of their actual self. They should be banned, swiftly. 

Loopholes should be closed immediately so no "Aussie Voice" profiles can be registered here except for the original Aussie Voice profile.

Instead of initiating emoticons or some other trivial upgrade, Upwork should strengthen their platform and work on matters that need attention. As more and more clients start leaving this platform, this site will become a flood of freelances with something fake in their profiles but no jobs to work on.