client asks for security fee in advance to start a project for freelancer.

[qureshi_shafiq]

Hy, if client asks for security fee to pan in advance to start project than do I need to pay or deposit any fee regarding securty fee. 

[g_vasilevski]

Hi Precious,

Thank you for reporting this, our team will review the client and will take proper actions.

Please keep in mind that communicating outside of Upwork or sharing contact information before an official contract is formed, is not allowed and it is in violation of our TOS.

To learn more about getting started on Upwork and how to protect yourself, check out our resources here. Thank you.

[bellaeusebio]

There's still a lot of them and they still working on it

[cassajoy]

It's a scam. Don't communicate outside of Upwork before being hired, and do not pre pay for anything. Flag these job postings in the future. It is against Upwork's Terms of Service to communicate off Upwork.

[zeke00500]

Yes, me too. They asked for my personal info. which is normal but it is outside UpWork (on Telegram). He asked for a security fee in advance for the project. I have a screenshot of the person here.

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[colettelewis]

It's a scam and asking for personal information is not normal. 

[aocumen]

Hi Ezekiel, 

As a gentle reminder, please note that users cannot communicate off Upwork until a contract has been set up on your account (the client sent an offer, and you accepted it). It would also be best to visit these articles for more information on how you can keep in line with Upwork's Terms of Service when engaging on the website:

• The new starter's guide to being safe and successful on Upwork
• Get to know each other before a contract
• Keeping your contact information safe

Please also be careful about sharing personal information with a potential client. This is an unusual request and one we don't recommend meeting. Clients normally don't need this information and you can share with them your general information about you if needed or redirect them to your Upwork profile.

You may also want to read up on this Community article and these articles for more information about working safely through Upwork.

[b754e53c]

**Edited for community guidelines**

 

 

 How can identify trusted client?

[sofia2008]

This one is not a trusted client. Report the job post and stop communicating with him. You are violating Upwork Terms of Service by communicating outside Upwork before being hired. Paying amount to a client or for him is also a violation of Terms of Service.

[pgiambalvo]

You can't ever be postive that you can trust them.

[2fd01d63]

Thanks so much Preston. I almost got scammed. I have just started here in Upwork for my career growth and was shocked Upwork needs "Security Fee". Got thing I searched if this is the norm and found this. They advised me to contact them via Telegram/WhatsApp. 

I just started in Upwork and I hope I'll get back my Connects, I have flagged them accordingly.

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[ff8e639a]

This kind of scammer, I didn't even get my connect again, he quickly deleted his post

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[812dd08c]

Hi Joan,

Thank you for reaching out and bringing this to our attention. I checked your Messages and I can't seem to find any communications you had with a client. I would like to let you know that sharing contact information before a contract has started is against Upwork's Terms of Service and that all communications prior to the contract starting must take place on Upwork.

We also encourage you to let us know if a TOS violation has happened by using the Flag as Inappropriate option throughout the platform. You can learn more about user reporting here. Additionally, you may want to check this help article and this thread for more information on how to stay safe on Upwork. 

[dataextract]

Hope you are a freelancer and you are talking about some of the buyers / clients posted a job and in order to award you the job, they are asking some amount to transfer to them, right?

Never do that. There is no such option in Upwork to make a so-called security deposit.

Infact they will have to escrow the amount to start the project.

Seems this is a SCAM. Report it to Upwork. 

[pgiambalvo]

This is obviously one of the many scam posts here on UW. Please read and follow the ToS to protect yourselves and others.

[f408b86f]

Today, I also received an e-mail from a client. I've read the instructions and one is to deposit the service fee according to the project I chose first before I could start with the work.

Can anybody help me with this? Thank you.

[colettelewis]

It's a scam. No real client will ask you for a deposit. Report the client and move on. 

[783c20e6]

 This was sent to me through telegram, is this a scam?

[petra_r]

---

Ushara D wrote: This was sent to me through telegram, is this a scam?

---

Yes, of course it is,

If you stop violating Upwork's Terms of Service by communicating with a prospective client outside of Upwork (which is strictly forbidden) before you are hired, you are quite safe from the vast majority of scams...

It also has the added benefit of Upwork not suspending your account for violating the terms of service, which are in place at least in part to protect you from scams.

To be clear: Until you are hired (properly, on Upwork, with an Upwork contract in place), you are strictly forbidden to communicate with any prospective client outside of the platform.

[martina_plaschka]

Yeah, obviously. Nothing about this resembles even a tiny little bit how a real job would look like. 

Ask yourself, as an employee, do you get from your employer a list of vague tasks to chose from, each one associated with a different payment that YOU  have to make? Is this how real jobs work? No. And neither does upwork. 

[joedcallejo]

😱 I also received the same project template and get nearly tricked by them. Good thing I did some research first and luckily found this community which is a good help.  

[pgiambalvo]

Yes, it is a scam. Hope you didn't fall for it.

[674e05cd]

Hi, I've got messages from a couple of people who asked me to find them on Telegram.

They changed their account/name and keep doing the same thing. 

Please ban them from Upwork and maybe make some sort of announcement on Upwork about this type of scam. I am almost new to Upwork and was so tired last night so I was this close to getting scammed..

Thank you. There is a limit on attachments so I will attach more of them below this one. 

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[petra_r]

---

Jisoo W wrote:I am almost new to Upwork and was so tired last night so I was this close to getting scammed..

---

If you stop violating Upwork's terms of service by communicating with prospective clients on Telegram (or anywhere other than Upwork), you'll be safe from scammers AND won't get your account suspended for violating the terms of service.

Win-Win all around.

[egaruth]

Hi Jisoo,

I shared your report with our team for further investigation and appropriate actions will be taken according to our internal processes.

Please know that sharing contact information before a contract has started is against Upwork's Terms of Service and that all communications prior to the contract starting must take place on Upwork.

I also encourage you to let us know if a TOS violation has happened by using the Flag as Inappropriate option throughout the platform. You can learn more about user reporting here.

You can find more information on this page. 

[6304c3e5]

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

  These clients tried to scam me and they took away my connects please resolve this problem asap and i will appreciate it thank you very much!

[m_terrazas]

---

abed al rahman H wrote:

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

  These clients tried to scam me and they took away my connects please resolve this problem asap and i will appreciate it thank you very much!

---

If the job is closed because is a scam, you'll have your connects back.
I hope you have flagged it.

[55748d47]

Hello I have the same situation. They were asking for a 40 euro deposit before making me start to work for them.

I'm glad that I researched about this before taking any actions.

**Edited for Community Guidelines** 

[yanwilb]

I got the same situation. I have to choose what kind of project, and each project has  options, from 30usd to 100usd security deposit for you to start the project. 

[pradeephele]

Hi Yllete,

Thank you for your message. I checked the job post you were referring to and it seems that it's already been taken down because it was in violation of Upwork ToS and action has been taken on the client account. Please note that Upwork does not encourage freelancers to pay any security or registration fees to the client as this may lead to possible fraud. 

Please check out this post for more tips on how to avoid questionable jobs and please use the flag option found on each job post or message anytime you’d like to report a violation.

Thank you,

Pradeep

[renata101]

---

Pradeep H wrote:

Hi Yllete,

Thank you for your message. I checked the job post you were referring to and it seems that it's already been taken down because it was in violation of Upwork ToS and action has been taken on the client account. Please note that Upwork does not encourage freelancers to pay any security or registration fees to the client as this may lead to possible fraud. 

Please check out this post for more tips on how to avoid questionable jobs and please use the flag option found on each job post or message anytime you’d like to report a violation.

Thank you,

Pradeep

---

Excuse me? Did you really say that? "We don't encourage people to pay any security or registration fees?"  And "this may lead to possible fraud"?

I think the language on these responses needs to be a lot clearer and more direct so that your message is easily understood (i.e., You should never pay a client a registration fee or ""security and registration fees are prohibited," which is what's in the ToS).  And we all clearly know that requests like this are fraulent. It's not just that they can lead to fraud, they are fraud.

I think it would be really helpful to new freelancers (especially those whose first language is not English) for the mods to use clearer language in response to people's questions about registration fees and other fraudulent activity on the platform.

[colettelewis]

Absolutely not. You never, ever pay a security fee to any client, anywhere as upfront payment for a job. If they do, report the job as a scam. 

[13f7ae68]

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

 Just the same for this. Once you paid and done your project they will ask more fee for a membership.

[ac7c2a6b]

I am currently having the same experience. This is the job post. 

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[ac7c2a6b]

and this is the email i received. 

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

He wants me to deposit 15 dollars through GCASH immediately before he handed the project per our telegram conversation.

[pradeephele]

Hi Olivia,

I checked the job post you were referring to and it appears that it's already been taken down because it was in violation of Upwork TOS.
Please check out this course for more tips on staying safe on Upwork and please use the flag option found on each job post or message anytime you’d like to report a violation.

Thank you,

Pradeep

[e80ef218]

I have the same problem. They emailed me then chatted on telegram. They send their terms and conditions. There is a registration fee for every project before stating. I notice one of the sent documents the employer must pay the registration fee. But the secretary said i was the one to pay. So i doubted. So i said sorry i cant do the jobs.

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[prestonhunter]

You should never have chatted with them via Telegram. Or email.

That was a violation of Upwork rules.

[muttaqin21]

This happened to me too. The client asked me to make payment as a security fee before I get the project. But I think it doesn't make sense

[sparkesusan]

You should NEVER be required by a client to pay a fee to get a job. Period!