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kymleemurphy
Community Member

Are scam jobs the norm?

Not to beat a dead horse--

 

So far, the two conversations I've had from potential clients have been scams. One of which was malware and had I not had fantastic antivirus as a safety net, the outcome could have been less desireable. As a newcomer, this is HIGHLY unacceptable. 

If this is normal practice- from what appear to be normal looking listings until further communication is had then is it plausible for new contractors to use this service? I think you are all responsive as far as the community and mods, which is nice, but for the functionality of the site for me so far? Time is money, and my time like everyone elses' --means something to me. I've now wasted plenty of time trying to ascertain if these were legitimate leads or a giant waste of effort. I am fairly perturbed that this is my first interaction here. Anyone have similar experiences right out of the gate or?

 

Please feel free to let me know if I'm doing something wrong. 😞

TIA

 

KM

ACCEPTED SOLUTION


Christine A wrote:

I've been on Upwork since its merger with Elance and haven't had any problems like that at all.


You are not US based.

New US based freelancers are the main target for the most prolific scams (among other things, due to the way US banking works as far as checks are concerned)

 

Most new US freelancer go through this initially, it stops once they had a job or two, the scammers tend to specifically search for people who have no earnings yet.

 

Real-Job-Or-Scam.jpg

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6 REPLIES 6
feed_my_eyes
Community Member

I've been on Upwork since its merger with Elance and haven't had any problems like that at all. Perhaps you've just had some bad luck, but I'm sure that others will weigh in as well. Did you report the scammers?

Well, as my last name is synonymous with bad luck, I suppose that's not far off haha.

I did report both and both were removed. I am impressed with response time in that respect. 🙂


Christine A wrote:

I've been on Upwork since its merger with Elance and haven't had any problems like that at all.


You are not US based.

New US based freelancers are the main target for the most prolific scams (among other things, due to the way US banking works as far as checks are concerned)

 

Most new US freelancer go through this initially, it stops once they had a job or two, the scammers tend to specifically search for people who have no earnings yet.

 

Real-Job-Or-Scam.jpg

Petra- that infographic was actually really helpful. Thank you.
AveryO
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Kymlee, 


Thank you for reporting these clients, and I'm sorry to learn that your first experience on Upwork wasn't as how you expected it. Please know that we have dedicated teams to ensuring the security of the Upwork platform, making sure it's safe for both freelancers and clients. We’ll continue to refine these systems and processes so we stay ahead of these.

 

Since you are new to Upwork, I would recommend up our freelancer resources, paying special attention to the Safety First! section, and these tips for avoiding questionable jobs, to help you work safely on Upwork. The resources I have shared also has great tips and insights on how you can work successfully on the platform. Hopefully, these will help you get started. 


~ Avery
Upwork

Thanks for the response. I appreciate it!
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