Client is asking me to email them for project instructions - is this allowed?

[b82a6218]

Hi,

As a newbie at Upwork, I don't know whether this is allowed/appropriate.

I submitted a proposal for a very small project that literally should take less than an hour. The poster responded with a message to email them for the assignment. They said if I email them I will receive a link to complete the project. Why can they just use Upworks message app to send me the link for the project?

Is this normal? What should i do?

Not only do I not know if this is allowed on Upwork but am also a little nervous of downloading documents/clicking on links from emails from people I don't know.

Any suggestions?

thanks

Julie

[raisusman49]

Contact outside PMB on any freelancing platform is not allowed. Request them politely I am not allowed to contact you outside if they are not scammers they will understand.
Please refer to this
https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/360051800034-What-to-do-if-someone-contacts-you-outside... 

[b82a6218]

HI Usman,

I submitted the proposal and they responded, 'Upon being hired, you will send us an ema-il for each project. All payment will be paid via UpWork. Please don't provide us any personal contact information until after you are hired. This post will stay up until we fill all positions.' .Currently its showing in my account this message with the button 'Submit Work' beneath - 'manage milestones' button under that. In the side bar its showing the $ in escrow.

Have you seen anything like this before?

thanks for any suggestions

Julie 

[sofia2008]

If you see the Submit Work button and an amount in escrow, this means you were hired.

Just seems odd that you were hired for a project you do not know about.

[martina_plaschka]

My thinking too, but one would notice if one clicked the accept button.

[sofia2008]

Accept button only appears if there is an offer sent. If the client sets a milestone right away, there is no Accept button.

[martina_plaschka]

I don't believe that's true for new contracts, existing contracts, yes, but you can't force a freelancer to have an active job without the freelancer actively accepting it. It would be terrible to be stuck with a contract you don't want from a client you don't want to work with.

[mwiggenhorn]

Look on the tab "My Jobs" and see if it's showing.  If so, you're hired.  Now you can communicate with them however you like.

[raisusman49]

Congratulations you are hired please start your work and after completing it submit it and you will receive your payment once the client accepts your delivery. Don't forget to track your screen if its on hourly basis using Upwork App

[bingiart]

Hi Julie L.,

Before starting the work...

Know what not to do here.

For Example...

• Don't go outside UpWork no matter who calls you. Do the work in UpWork.
• Do not share any of your personal contact information.
• Don't ask for money/5 star rating in message box. and etc.

If you need an answer to any question, search your question first in the community. If you don't get an answer, post your question. Because you will get late reply when you post.

Take some time and check out these courses

https://community.upwork.com/t5/Learning-Paths/ct-p/LearningPaths

Important for Data Entry workers

Check this Expert talk

Identifying & Avoiding Scams : https://community.upwork.com/t5/Videos/Identifying-amp-Avoiding-Scams/ta-p/1088711

This is my opinion.

[pudingstudio]

---

Julie L wrote:

Hi,

As a newbie at Upwork, I don't know whether this is allowed/appropriate.

I submitted a proposal for a very small project that literally should take less than an hour. The poster responded with a message to email them for the assignment. They said if I email them I will receive a link to complete the project. Why can they just use Upworks message app to send me the link for the project?

Is this normal? What should i do?

Not only do I not know if this is allowed on Upwork but am also a little nervous of downloading documents/clicking on links from emails from people I don't know.

Any suggestions?

thanks

Julie

---

Online freelancing is full of clicking on links and downloading documents from strangers.
Same, it's full of sending links to strangers.

Impossible to freelance without that.

[tyazid25]

Pay attention, they are obviously scammers 

[10f99326]

I came here just to look for answers to this similar question. The crazy thing is, as I was typing a response to the potential client, she delete her message and blocked me (I think)! Good thing I know how to ask around. Thank you for your replies to this thread, it taught me the first thing I need to know.