Jun 7, 2019 05:05:53 AM by Duc Hoa Phuc V
Solved! Go to Solution.
Jun 7, 2019 05:53:23 AM by Filip K
Hi Sandy,
Actually, payment unverified is not a red flag for me. Red flag is: Client's hire rate 0, and 16 jobs posted.
In general I got a few good contracts from people with unverified methods.
Just like you were not informed very well on how Upwork works, neither are some of them. It's our job to educate them.
So if the client with unverified method wants to hire me, I politely let them know they didn't approve their payment method. If they would insist I would get payed, and not verify after the warning, that would certainly raise some flags and I wouldn't accept the job until that's done. Also, another reason I like working per hour.
If you want to be sure you will get payed, you can try to tell the client you'd like to swap the fixed price contract with hourly contract, and that you will add amount of hours to correspond with the previously arranged fixed price. That way you get Upwork hours (it's good to have a lot of hours on your profile) and you will surely get paid.
Jun 7, 2019 05:53:23 AM by Filip K
Hi Sandy,
Actually, payment unverified is not a red flag for me. Red flag is: Client's hire rate 0, and 16 jobs posted.
In general I got a few good contracts from people with unverified methods.
Just like you were not informed very well on how Upwork works, neither are some of them. It's our job to educate them.
So if the client with unverified method wants to hire me, I politely let them know they didn't approve their payment method. If they would insist I would get payed, and not verify after the warning, that would certainly raise some flags and I wouldn't accept the job until that's done. Also, another reason I like working per hour.
If you want to be sure you will get payed, you can try to tell the client you'd like to swap the fixed price contract with hourly contract, and that you will add amount of hours to correspond with the previously arranged fixed price. That way you get Upwork hours (it's good to have a lot of hours on your profile) and you will surely get paid.
Jun 7, 2019 06:33:17 AM by Duc Hoa Phuc V
Jun 7, 2019 06:40:58 AM by Filip K
Well, I'm sure you won't accept new contract anymore UNTIL they verify their payment method.
Lesson learned. Now, to the new victories. 🙂
Jun 7, 2019 06:00:37 AM by Will L
Hi, Sandy.
Upwork will probably never be able to protect freelancers completely from unscrupulous clients (or vice versa), but this apparently a common problem for new freelancers that could be largely avoided if Upwork notified both freelancer and clients each day - after a fixed price contract is agreed to - that the payment method should be verified before work begins. I don't know why a freelancer who understands the risk of working on a project without verified payment would do so - I never would -, but Upwork apparently wants to allow that to continue to happen without warnings to both parties.
Good luck with your future projects!
Jun 7, 2019 06:36:39 AM by Jennifer M
Unverified payment even after a job starts is not necessarily a scammer. It could be a stolen credit card. Never thought someone would actually want to use a stolen credit card or PayPal account for content until I started doing this. Seems strange but poors gonna poor.
Legit clients are sometimes using a corporate card, so they have to get their finance department to verify the amounts even if the escrow funds go through. I didn't have to verify my card when I paid Upwork, so I think they pull the CC's info for a match with the account's info, and if it matches let you pay without verification.
Jun 7, 2019 06:38:59 AM by Duc Hoa Phuc V
Jun 7, 2019 08:10:59 AM by Christine A
Sandy V wrote:
Hi Will,
Thank you for your advice, I've started to understand now after the mistake was made. I will continue to try my best since now on.
Thanks once again and wish you have a good day.
Sandy
Sandy - Not only does the payment method need to be verified, but the escrow account must be funded as well. Don't do any work until that happens.
Jun 7, 2019 08:17:42 AM by Christine A
Will L wrote:Hi, Sandy.
Upwork will probably never be able to protect freelancers completely from unscrupulous clients (or vice versa), but this apparently a common problem for new freelancers that could be largely avoided if Upwork notified both freelancer and clients each day - after a fixed price contract is agreed to - that the payment method should be verified before work begins. I don't know why a freelancer who understands the risk of working on a project without verified payment would do so - I never would -, but Upwork apparently wants to allow that to continue to happen without warnings to both parties.
Good luck with your future projects!
Everytime you place a bid on a fixed price project, you get a warning screen and an explanation about escrow, but everybody probably skips to the end without reading it (like all such agreements that appear online). It would be a lot more helpful if Upwork sent freelancers a reminder along with the offer notification email. Right next to where it says "Review and accept this offer to start working now", they could add "but ensure that the escrow account is funded first."
Jun 8, 2019 01:07:48 AM by Duc Hoa Phuc V