Worried after seeing too many recent topics on fraudulent chargeback; getting started on Upwork.

[d0d84a2e]

Hi everyone,

I am new to Upwork. I am still in the process of setting up my profile. I'd like to start freelancing on this platform soon but some of the recent posts on clients allegedly filing fraudulent chargebacks are concerning.

From what I have read so far, Upwork cannot do much in these cases except for turning to their Terms of Service and trying to offer Payment Protection, although only to those who worked on an hourly basis. Freelancers affected by fraudulent chargebacks don't seem to be happy with Upwork's payment verification process as it seems like there is currently no way to verify if the payment vehicle, for example a credit card, actually belongs to the client or if it is borrowed or fake.

What type of assurances do you (the Upwork community or authority) have for me, who is new here and also new to the freelancing world, that would alleviate some of these concerns? Should I just wait until things get better on the surface?

Thanks!

[759e32fa]

Hi Shamir,

Thank you for reaching out to us. Some reversals (chargebacks) are a result of the client contacting their bank and asking them to reverse the payment.

In these cases, we look to our Terms of Service (TOS) for guidance and follow it by taking two steps:

1. We seek reimbursement from freelancers/agencies in cases where their client makes a payment, asks their bank to reverse it, and the bank does. (see more detail in sections 6.3-6.5 in our TOS).

2. We review the client’s Upwork account because reversing a payment, in most cases, is against our TOS and can result in us permanently suspending their Upwork account.

Aside from these steps, the Upwork team also helps the freelancer or agency challenge the reversal.

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.