🐈
» Forums » Support » Re: Verification again?
Page options
slawomir_rewaj
Community Member

pointless re-verify

Hello,

 

I'm a top rated freelancer and I verified my identity last month. Now I have got the same request again.

 

Taking 10 minutes to do it is not a big deal, although I would prefer that Upwork respects my time rather then feeling entitled to waste it on pointless excercises.
I have passed it and it was no different then the previous one.

 

The bigger issue is that my account is on temporary hold and it lasts longer then 10 minutes. Upwork claims that it has up to 48 hours to release it.
I'm worried about how this is presented to the clients.

 

The main question is - why do Upwork even does it so often? Do you think that my identity changed within a month?

 

Kind regards

Slawek

ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Hi Jae Sung, 

 

At times, for a variety of reasons, we need to ask our users to verify their identity or other information. Please know we do try to avoid doing this repeatedly. However, as part of our ongoing work to keep the Upwork marketplace a secure place for freelancers and clients, we must reach out to users again sometimes. We apologize for the inconvenience.

 

To verify your identity, log into your Upwork account and click on “Settings.” In the left-hand column, choose “Identity Verification.” Follow the steps there to begin verification. For tips on correctly completing the process and details about the documents needed, click here.


~ Avery
Upwork

View solution in original post

638 REPLIES 638

Hi Simona,

 

Rest assured, communicating outside of Upwork is not a violation and it is allowed. 
I also checked your account and would like to confirm that the verifications you`ve been asked to complete are different. 
Our team is finishing up with the review and once it is completed one of our team members will update your ticket with more details.
If you have any additional questions feel free to post them on your ticket and our team will assist you further. Thank you.

~ Goran
Upwork

Thank you, Goran 🙂

842dbd21
Community Member

Hello,

What I would like to know is about the second call verification I received an invitation for it. 
I would like to know what is about as I had one before verifying me and that I want to understand if it is the same way or I need to expect something different? 

I just want to understand it.

Thank you for the explanation. 

Jakub:
It sounds like what you are talking about is just another video identification call.

 

Should be just as simple as the first one you did. Nothing new to expect.

 

It is very common for freelancers to be asked to do this a second time. Could just be because you were randomly selected.

BojanS
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Jakub,

 

Thank you for your question. As part of our ongoing work to keep the Upwork marketplace a secure place for freelancers and clients, verification is sometimes required more than once. We do try to avoid doing this repeatedly and apologize for the inconvenience it may cause. 

Please, refer to this ticket for more information regarding the verification process. Use the link provided in the ticket and our agent will guide you through the process!

Thank you.

~ Bojan
Upwork
yitwail
Community Member

I verfied my identity a month ago, receiving an Identity Verified badge email from Upwork team dated May 8, 2019. Yet I've just been requested to re-verify my identity with a video call. If every freelancer is asked to verify their identity once a month, then I can't complain, but I dislike being interrogated by people I do not know and cannot see, and would like to know why I'm being singled out for this treatment.

__________________________________________________
"No good deed goes unpunished." -- Clare Boothe Luce
BojanS
Community Manager
Community Manager

I'm sorry you feel this way about our request to verify your profile, John. We don't target any specific freelancers or a group of freelancers when requesting verification. Verifying users' identities and continuing to do so periodically is one of the many steps we are taking to combat the issue with account selling, identify profiles that are fake or fraudulent and protect genuine users and the marketplace as a whole.

~ Bojan
Upwork
browersr
Community Member


Bojan S wrote:

I'm sorry you feel this way about our request to verify your profile, John. We don't target any specific freelancers or a group of freelancers when requesting verification. Verifying users' identities and continuing to do so periodically is one of the many steps we are taking to combat the issue with account selling, identify profiles that are fake or fraudulent and protect genuine users and the marketplace as a whole.


Unless you suspect someone has compromised an account, there is no excuse for verifying someone on monthly basis. Once someone is verified there should be a period of time where they are taken out of the pool for verification unless evidence or concern arises specifically. Throwing everyone back in the hat immediately after you did verification is a terrible practice. It makes no sense to re-interview someone a month later with no provication. 

I'm very eager to hear an answer to John's question. I understand the need to aggressively monitor account authenticity. At the same time, it seems like a waste of resources to continually re-verify longtime productive FLs with general high visibility on the platorm. Why can't the random selection process include one more check, and give a pass to any account that's been re-verified in the past 120 days? Or give us a chance to obtain a meaningful "super verified" badge that allows us to bypass constant random checks? BTW, imo it's not the few minutes required to verify, it's having the account put on hold in the midst of active contracts and expected payments. C'mon, UW, treat us like the professionals you claim we are.

tomzilla1
Community Member

I've done the video verification before, got a notice today for another one... Is it an annual thing?

re: "Is it an annual thing?"

 

Could just be random luck of the draw.

 

Some people are verified, and then re-verified.

 

Every time this happens to you, it means that Upwork is making its platform safer and more secure for honest freelancers such as yourself.


They're trying to weed out the frauds and scammers. Which means more money for us. Because it enhances the client experience.

I would like to have an update on this, please.

 

Screen Shot 2019-06-14 at 11.39.28.png

 

Hi Olga,

 

Thanks for following up. I'll share more details with you in a pm.

~ Vladimir
Upwork
netdiatom
Community Member

I am pretty new to upwork, I am on my 2nd month that just started and am having a veriifcation call again for the second time during the 1st and 2nd milestone. Again my client is stuck waiting and I don't know what to tell them, during the booking process my client also told me she had the same thing happen before she could hire me. Im not sure what is going on

netdiatom
Community Member

I can not go on to the second milestone so it has everything to do with the client and the project

 

BojanS
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Higgs,

 

As part of our ongoing work to keep the Upwork marketplace a secure place for freelancers and clients, verification is sometimes required more than once. We do try to avoid doing this repeatedly and apologize for the inconvenience it may cause. 

Please, refer to this ticket for more information regarding the verification process, where our team already shared tips about using a device with a connected camera and microphone for the verification process. Use the link provided in the ticket and our agent will guide you through the process!

Thank you.

~ Bojan
Upwork
renata101
Community Member

If we'vre already gone through the verification process and received a blue checkmark, do we need to reverify? I've been asked for a video verification call recently and it seems like I've already done this. 


Renata S wrote:

If we'vre already gone through the verification process and received a blue checkmark, do we need to reverify? I've been asked for a video verification call recently and it seems like I've already done this. 


It happens.

Nothing to worry about. Just re-verify and continue with freelancing.

This is just my curiosity did you change anything?


BMark F wrote:
This is just my curiosity did you change anything?

I didn't change my profile photo or do a major overhaul of anything. That's why it surprises me that they asked. 

As far as I know, there are three DIFFERENT types of identification that freelances may be asked to do:

- verification during initial registration, such location verification based on IP address

- video interview verification

- photo ID verification

 

Sometimes freelancers get confused because they have already done one of these, but they are then asked to do another.

 

But ALSO: Freelancers may be asked to REPEAT a verification process they have already done. There may be a REASON for this. There may have been changes made or certain activity detected. Or there may be NOT REASON at all, other than being randomly selected.

 

That's how I understand the process. Of course I have no special access to "inside" details, and Upwork is not going to reveal all the details of their security processes.

 

For me, though, the take-home is to not worry about it. Being asked to do any type of verification doesn't mean I'm doing anything wrong. It's just part of Upwork's efforts to distinguish itself as the top freelance platform by offering clients the most reliable information possible about freelancers.

Hi Renata,

 

Thanks for reaching out to us. As part of our ongoing work to keep the Upwork marketplace a secure place for freelancers and clients, verification is sometimes required more than once. We do try to avoid doing this repeatedly and apologize for the inconvenience it may cause. 

Please, refer to this ticket for more information regarding the verification process. Use the link provided in the ticket and our agent will guide you through the process!

 

Thank you.

~ Aleksandar
Upwork
estiak_ahmed_m
Community Member

Hello,

I've done video verification before. But today came the verification notification again. Why do I have to do a second video verification?

 

Estiak


Estiak Ahmed M wrote:

Hello,

I've done video verification before. But today came the verification notification again. Why do I have to do a second video verification?

 

Estiak


Some people misuse the platform.

(re)Verification is one of the ways to prevent that.

Nothing to it, just (re)do verification and move on with your freelancing.

jurij-tsupryk
Community Member

Hi guys

Could you please let me know why the verification blog section still exist in frontend after done video verification successfully?
I need your help

Many thanks
Jurij

Hi Jurij,

 

As part of our ongoing work to keep the Upwork marketplace a secure place for freelancers and clients, verification is sometimes required more than once. We do try to avoid doing this repeatedly and apologize for the inconvenience it may cause. 

Please, refer to this ticket for more information regarding the verification process, where our team already shared tips about using a device with a connected camera and microphone for the verification process. Use the link provided in the ticket and our agent will guide you through the process!

Thank you.

~ Bojan
Upwork

I've done the call in the reuqest with Keila a few days ago. There is a chatted history in the last request.
Do i need to call with you again?

Many thanks
Jurij

Hi Jurij,

 

Please consider following up on the request to verify your identity and kindly communicate with our team through the original ticket if you have any questions, in order to keep all the information in one place.

 

Thank you!

~ Bojan
Upwork
suffiansabir
Community Member

Why my finanial transaction have been limited. i don't know what happened to my acount. everything is ok but? Can you tell me solution for this.

**Edited for community guidelines**

Hi Suffian,

 

I checked this for you and our team has reached out to you just recently regarding your account hold. Please check this link for the ticket related to your concern or check the last email sent to you by our team which details what steps you should take to lift the hold on your account.

 

Thank you.

~ Bojan
Upwork
islammamdouh31
Community Member

My account still suspended event after a successfull verification video call!

Hi Islam,

 

 As part of our ongoing work to keep the Upwork marketplace a secure place for freelancers and clients, verification is sometimes required more than once. We do try to avoid doing this repeatedly and apologize for the inconvenience it may cause. 

Please, refer to this ticket for more information regarding the verification process, where our team already shared tips about using a device with a connected camera and microphone for the verification process. Use the link provided in the ticket and our agent will guide you through the process!

Thank you.

~ Bojan
Upwork
chigher
Community Member

Hello, Hope all of you are doing well.

I met some strange issues when using upwork.

A few days ago, upwork asked me to do video verification again.

My Account is not new one.It is top-rated.

Anyway, I did video verification successfully but I cant still submit proposals.

What is the problem?

If anyone can help me, I will appreciate it.

Thank you.

 

BojanS
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Vadim,

 

I apologize for the delay in receiving an update. I'll go ahead and follow up with the team handling your case and you can expect to receive an update on your ticket directly.

 

Thank you for your patience.

~ Bojan
Upwork
christinee-linds
Community Member

This is the 2nd time that I've been asked to verify my identity by showing my passport. The first time took months for it to be verified. Then, once I got my first job I'm asked again to verify my identity with an ID. At this point it feels like negligence or profiling and the type of issue that I'd report. I used the website when it was Elance in 2013. At the time freelancers weren't asked for their IDs. I've also asked other Upworkers who are freelancers if they've had the same problems. They've answered 'no'. So, now I wonder if this is a technical issue, profiling issue, or negligence with your system when handling personal information? Anyone else experience this issue?

Lots of freelancers are asked to confirm their identities multiple times.

 

I have been asked to do video verification and I have been asked to provide government ID. Many freelancers receive requests to do these things more than one time.

 

There is no technical issue, profiling or negligence.

 

Don't worry about it.

Hi Lindsay, 

I'm sorry to learn that you feel that you are being discrimintated against by requesting you to go through identiy verification several times. To ensure that the marketplace is safe for all users, we ask users to go through different kinds of verification. Here's a help article for more information on the types of verification that users are asked to complete. 

 

Also, on Section 1.6 Identity and Location Verification of the Upwork User Agreement it says that - 

"When you register for an Account and from time to time thereafter, your Account will be subject to verification, including, but not limited to, validation against third-party databases or the verification of one or more official government or legal documents that confirm your identity, your location, and your ability to act on behalf of your business on Upwork... When requested, you must timely provide us with complete information about yourself and your business, which includes, but is not limited to, providing official government or legal documents."


I have checked your account, and I can confirm that you are being requested to complete verification for your Identity Verified Badge. Once you complete this verification, a blue checkmark will be displayed on your profile, to confirm that you are identity verified. This establishes trust among clients who vet freelancers when looking to hire on Upwork. 

Let me know if you have other questions regarding the verification request on your account, and I'll be happy to assist you. 


~ Avery
Upwork

Has anyone been asked to upload  or 'verify' their ID 2x? I've spoken to 5 other freelancers outside of Upwork and all of them said 'no'. Then, to further verify my identity, I was asked for a video phone chat with a man named Andy for an interview scheduled at 10:45 at night. As a female it felt invasive, unsafe, and like an incident that I should report.

 

A website that collects your email address, social links, ID, social security number for W9, bank information, and then needs a video chat of you to further verify your identity sounds odd.

Ironically, for all of the 'safety' measures taken to ensure that freelancers are who they say they are I've been contacted by two employers on the site that were scams.

 

I used the site when it was Elance, but as Upwork it seems that it's become something else entirely.

 

I wonder if I've been scammed... but has anyone else experienced this as well?

 

You posted the same question and it was answered by a moderator on 10/22/19:

 

https://community.upwork.com/t5/Freelancers/pointless-re-verify/m-p/660831#M400766

I got the same message myself again. It is disappointing, that being with Odesk, then upwork for several years, then earning a good income and getting a good reputation as a freelancer, then verifying and having to do it AGAIN?

 

Shouldn't the years of good work and feedback be verification. Upwork gets 20% from all new contracts, and I'm ok with that because it does offer good options. But after doing that and then troubling freelancers with this kind of thing over and over again! 😞 They should be doing this with newer freelancers and most importantly with the CLIENTS. There are load of payment method UNVERIFIED clients and loads of others who post fake/joke jobs. We use our connects that we pay for, on these jobs, only for the client to not hire "anyone" for months and suddently the job and our connects disappear.

 

This is very disappointing. For some of us, what we earn here is a lifeline. And if that gets suspended... our entire household is in chaos. Because this income means a lot.

 

I hope Upwork finds better ways to verify their community and that this verification goes clients too.

Latest Articles
Featured Topics
Learning Paths