once the bonus from client comes to your pending in upwork

[isher1313]

hey! one client gave me a bonus on one hourly contract! I finished the job very soon and the client was impressed and now I have the money in my pending balance so just For INFORMATION once the money comes into your pending balance IS THERE ANY WAY ON EARTH THAT IT MAY GO BACK ?

and when the money comes in pending ITS SURE RIGHT ? THAT IT WILL COME TO YOUR AVAILABLE BALANCE?? and when it comes in pending has it already been deducted from clients payment method?

[petra_r]

What exactly is your question and the context?

[isher1313]

please check I posted again last time it got deleted

Thank you

[petra_r]

Tejveer, it's quite simple:

Go to your Reports > Pending tab

If there is a date next to the bonus payment, that is when you will be paid.

If there is no date and it just says "Pending" in the left-hand column for more than 24 hours, the client never actually paid a Cent.

Edited to add: In your specific case, it's a scam. The client never paid. You're not the only one.

[feed_my_eyes]

Tejveer, the job post was deleted because it was a scam. Read more here: https://community.upwork.com/t5/Freelancers/Upwork-Please-take-these-jobs-down-ASAP/m-p/1009873

[martina_plaschka]

Pending is a security hold so that upwork can check is the client's credit card can be charged with this amount, so it can be reversed if that is not possible. 

[feed_my_eyes]

---

Tejveer S wrote:

For INFORMATION once the money comes into your pending balance IS THERE ANY WAY ON EARTH THAT IT MAY GO BACK ?

and when the money comes in pending ITS SURE RIGHT ? THAT IT WILL COME TO YOUR AVAILABLE BALANCE?? and when it comes in pending has it already been deducted from clients payment method?

---

No, it's not sure. If you have an hourly contract, you're supposed to track your time properly using the time tracker - bonuses are not protected and Upwork can't do anything to help you get the money. In your case, you did less than an hour's work and the client said they were giving you a bonus of $2,000, is that correct? You didn't think that there was anything strange about this?

[petra_r]

---

Christine A wrote:

In your case, you did less than an hour's work and the client said they were giving you a bonus of $2,000, is that correct? You didn't think that there was anything strange about this?

---

He likely sent many hundreds of Dollars in in-game currency to the "client" ...

Yesterday's victim paid $500 after the "client" "paid" a bonus of $1400 that obviously never happened either.

[feed_my_eyes]

I recognised the OP's name from one of the scam job posts - he's one of the freelancers who gave the "client" a glowing feedback review. I even tried to see if there was a way to contact him and warn him using the "add to my network" feature, but couldn't find his profile. 😞 

[isher1313]

omg you all I literally gave that client so much amount and now I am not going to get anything?????/

[ashrafkhan81]

Unfortunately no, you are not going to get anything! The amount will show pending for a few days and then will be returned by Upwork to the rightful owner of the credit card!

[petra_r]

---

Ashraf K wrote:

Unfortunately no, you are not going to get anything! The amount will show pending for a few days and then will be returned by Upwork to the rightful owner of the credit card!

---

The "client" is the rightful owner of the payment method.

The payment method simply declines the charges.

This is not a "stolen credit card" szenario and I have no idea why you would claim that it is.

[petra_r · Accepted solution]

---

Tejveer S wrote:

omg you all I literally gave that client so much amount and now I am not going to get anything?????/

---

This is correct.

Did you not, at any point, realize that there is no way on earth that any real client would send more than twice the value of what they want to a random stranger on the Internet? Did you even think whether it makes sense that anyone would ever need that much of an in-game currency?

And why they wouldn't just simply buy it in the app store at a fraction of the price?

I am incredibly sorry this happened, especially as some of us had been flagging that client's job-posts since Thursday, but I am seriously at a loss how anyone could fail to recognize something that is so obviously a scam.

How much did you send altogether?

[isher1313]

1600 usd Petra! but upwork should have serious PROTOCOLS! TO VERIFY THE PAYMENT METHODS THEY THAT CLIENT SHARED ALL INVOICES WITH HOW COULD I THINK ITS SCAM??

[martina_plaschka]

Because it is trading in any kind of virtual or other currency, which is explicitely forbidden in the terms of service. It is not likely that the client can't do that without the help of a freelancer. If you had any doubt, a search in the forum for the most common scams would also have alerted you to this not being legit. 

[petra_r]

---

Tejveer S wrote:

1600 usd 

---

Ouch!

---

Tejveer S wrote:

upwork should have serious PROTOCOLS! TO VERIFY THE PAYMENT METHODS

---

They do, but you went around all the mechanisms that are designed to keep you safe with this silly stunt,

---

Tejveer S wrote:

THAT CLIENT SHARED ALL INVOICES 

---

An invoice doesn't mean something has been paid. A receipt would. An invoice is a request for payment.

---

Tejveer S wrote:

HOW COULD I THINK ITS SCAM??

---

Because apart from you sending the client funds being a violation of the terms of service, there is simply no way on this planet that any real client would ever pay so much money to a stranger on the Internet for something they can get for a fraction of the price.  It makes no sense. Who needs so much game currency? Didn't you, at any point, think about it or were you just so blinded by the prospect of lots of money for nothing?

[isher1313]

Please Upwork Mail me I just have some questions also I have a negative balance in my account as that fraudster asked for a refund! please help! helpppppp!

[claudiacezy]

---

Tejveer S wrote:

omg you all I literally gave that client so much amount and now I am not going to get anything?????/

---

Tejveer, did you check the refund policy for your purchase? Selling/trading UC is not permitted, it's probably impossible or difficult to get a refund under these circumstances.

Did you report that player ID using the game reporting system?

[isher1313]

why would upwork even let such cards be online cant they HAVE STRICTTT PROTOCOLL THE WORLDS BIGGEST FREELANCING WEBSITE FAILS TO IDENTIFY  SCAM JOBS AND CARD WHAT BS

[martina_plaschka]

They have a strict protocol, part of which is the security period (money in pending). They do not guarantee payment except with hourly payment that is properly tracked. 

If they paid up every scam that happens here, they would be bankrupt in two days. 

I completely agree that they should do more to get scammer clients off the platform, as well as scammer freelancers. I don't know which group does more damage to the platform and their overall reputation. 

[petra_r]

With all due respect, and whilst I agree and am furious that Uwork were so slow to react at this occasion, you did violate Upwork's terms of service by sending funds to the client.

Had you not done that, you would not have been scammed.

Also, Upwork have no way of predicting future behaviour of a card, They verify the payment method works at the time it is being verified and the client has access to the online banking for it,

That (obviously) doesn't mean that they can predict whether the payment method can be charged a large amount a year later, or even an hour later.

If you had given this some thought, you would have known that this couldn't possibly anything other than a scam. When something seems too good to be true, it literally ALWAYS is.

[isher1313]

thank you

[petra_r]

---

Tejveer S wrote:

Well, I guess that's my goodbye to the freelancing world, I don't even think I can ever trust any client again

---

That is quite unneccessary, If you use Upwork correctly, it is actually not that easy to get scammed, because if money is in excrow (fixed rate), you know it has been properly charged already, and with hourly contracts you can protect yourself by using the tracker correctly.

[42c61916]

I'm sorry that you got scammed, that is a serious sum and I hope you're able to find some legal recourse.

For future reference, know that there is NO unskilled work on the Internet that pays like that. If someone is making you an offer to do any kind of unskilled job and are offering more than $20 an hour, your scam radar should go off and you should investigate. If some freelancers are working for $10 an hour for basic data entry and transcription, nobody is going to pay you several thousand dollars for work that anybody can do, they'd just hire one of those other freelancers or a friend or anybody else. It's an old cliche by now, but if anybody on the Internet says "send me $XXX in one currency and I'll send you $XXXX in return," it is a scam.

[NikolaS]

Hi Tejveer,

Thank you for reaching out to us. Please know that a real client will never ask you to give them money to start working, cash a check for them, work for free, or provide your personal information. You should also never get paid or pay someone outside of Upwork. You may open yourself up to scams or fraud, and lose Upwork Payment Protection. 

Upwork Payment Protection adds a level of security to payment processing for hourly and fixed-price projects, allowing clients and freelancers to collaborate on projects with peace of mind. You can find more information in this help article. 

I advise you to check this page to learn great tips to help you stay safe on Upwork. You may also want to check this page to find our most important policies.

While we won't be able to share specific details for privacy and security reasons, our Trust & Safety team is addressing this client's and other related accounts and jobs.

[isher1313]

Please Upwork Mail me I just have some questions also I have a negative balance in my account as that fraudster asked for refund! please help! helpppppp!

[AveryO]

Hi Tejveer, 

I can see that you were able to file a support ticket regarding your concern. The Customer Support Team will address your concern once they get to your ticket in their queue. 

[isher1313]

Hi! I couldn't file a ticket as when I went to submit a request page it was just blank! please help!

[AveryO]

Hi Tejveer, 

I want to confirm that you were able to file a ticket through the chatbot, and a member of the Customer Support Team will reach out to you to assist you further regarding your concern.

[isher1313]

Sure Thank you so much avery!

[isher1313]

Hi Avery! I was just checking in if you could still see my filed ticket? as I haven't been contacted by Upwork till now! 

Thank you!

[g_vasilevski]

Hi Tejveer,

Your ticket is with the number 33844166 and you can access it on this link. I would also like to confirm that our team has already posted an update on your ticket. Thank you.

[isher1313]

ok sure yes I checked they said the team will contact in 24-48 hours!

[isher1313]

Hi! it's been 48 hours and I have not been contacted by Upwork till now! I am worried that they might deduct the money from my availability once my other project's money comes there! as my available balance is negative!!

[PradeepH]

Hi Tejveer,

Thank you for your response. I am sorry to hear that you have not received a response from our team. I have followed up with the relevant team and one of our team members will reach out to you via ticket as soon as possible to assist you further. 

Thank you.

Pradeep

[isher1313]

Hi! it's been 72 hours and still no response from Upwork! is Upwork even gonna provide me some support of contacting me ? after rolling a SCAM job in my Job feed as an interesting Job?

it really is becoming a very bad experience here when you don't even get support from the team after even being a plus member!

Thank you!

[PradeepH]

Hi Tejveer,

Thank you for your message. I am sorry to hear that you have not received a response from the team. I followed up with the team again and they have confirmed that they are still in process of reviewing your account. They will reply via the same support ticket as soon as they have an update for you. I do apologize for the inconvenience caused to you.

Thank you

Pradeep

[isher1313]

Sir it's been 96 hours and still no response, I am afraid I will get a payment from another project to my available balance which is the negative! I am afraid sir my new payment will be deducted!

[JoanneP]

Hi Tejveer,

I apologize for any delay. I'd like to confirm a follow-up has been submitted already. Please allow the team time to review. Thank you for your patience. 

[isher1313]

I will be receiving payment on 6th February I mean it will come to the available balance which is in the negative! which means they will deduct from that?? I don't want it deducted please it's a payment from my new project!