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00c23bfd
Community Member

Client wants to pay privately and send a check to purchase laptop etc

So, I submitted a proposal. Got a Skype chat interview. Wrote out answers to 11 questions. Told I was hired. Would send me a laptop with their software. Then told they’d send me a check to purchase laptop, custom project management software and special malware. Then said they’d send first payment directly. I said I want comfortable with that. Then figured this was a scam. Am I right?
6 REPLIES 6
colettelewis
Community Member


Lorretta S wrote:
So, I submitted a proposal. Got a Skype chat interview. Wrote out answers to 11 questions. Told I was hired. Would send me a laptop with their software. Then told they’d send me a check to purchase laptop, custom project management software and special malware. Then said they’d send first payment directly. I said I want comfortable with that. Then figured this was a scam. Am I right?

________________

Yes, one of the oldest scams in the book. It is also against Upwork's ToS to accept payment off site. You should really read up on the rules and regs before submitting proposals.

 

However, it would seem that Upwork's new policy of no outside interviews, contacts etc. until a formal Upwork contract is in place, does not appear to be implemented yet. Would a moderator care to comment on this?  How is it that scammers posing as clients can still demand outside interviews?

The new policy is in effect already. It is enforced primarily using the honor system.

I should have proofread my initial question. I was not ok with them paying me directly and informed them of that. Is it typical to do a written interview? From what I've read, it seems that interviews are ok. For my own comfort, I'd prefer to see samples of the client's work prior to submitting a proposal. I got seriously burned prior to joining Upwork. I edited a novel requiring extensive editing for a very small flat rate. 

re: "Is it typical to do a written interview?"

 

It is common. I have completed over 260 jobs on Upwork. The majority of the time, there was no audio or video interview, of that is what you are asking about. Usually just messages exchanged through chat via the Upwork Messages tool.

 

re: "For my own comfort, I'd prefer to see samples of the client's work prior to submitting a proposal."

 

You can agree to an hourly contract without seeing everything.

 

Of course you should not agree to a fixed-price contract prior to receiving the actual files you will be working with. Of course you should look over the actual input files before you provide a fixed-piece quote there you agree to when a contract is set up.

AleksandarD
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Lorretta, and Nichola,

 

Lorretta, I already sent the job post to our team for investigation and appropriate actions will be taken according to our internal processes.

 

Nichola, we do have a notification to inform users that are taking off interviews outside of Upwork. However, I already shared this with our team so that we can investigate further.

 

Thank you.

~ Aleksandar
Upwork


@AleksandarD wrote:

Hi Lorretta, and Nichola,

 

Lorretta, I already sent the job post to our team for investigation and appropriate actions will be taken according to our internal processes.

 

Nichola, we do have a notification to inform users that are taking off interviews outside of Upwork. However, I already shared this with our team so that we can investigate further.

 

Thank you.

_________________

 

Oh so slapped wrist, but you did not address the OP's concerns, and while we are on Upwork's squeaky clean agenda, what is Upwork doing about academic cheating? 


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