Re: Freelancers that cheat by going direct payment

Holly C · Oct 15, 2018 01:53:14 PM

After telling the client I wasn't comfortable working outside of Upwork, I was blocked on google hangout. How do you report clients?

Bojan S · Oct 15, 2018 02:16:44 PM

Hi Holly,

Here's the help article for more information on how to use the flag option found on each job post or message to report any suspicious or inappropriate content. Check out this post for more tips on how to avoid questionable jobs. Thank you!

~ Bojan

Martina P · Oct 16, 2018 02:33:09 AM

@Holly C wrote:
After telling the client I wasn't comfortable working outside of Upwork, I was blocked on google hangout. How do you report clients?

In their job posting, there is a "flag as inappropriate" button, below the "save job" button.

John K · Oct 15, 2018 02:21:03 PM

@Holly C wrote:
I know there is an Opt Out fee they can pay but I'm not sure if they paid this.

Holly, the Opt-Out Fee is a minimum of $3,500 so I doubt many clients pay it.

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"No good deed goes unpunished." -- Clare Boothe Luce

Preston H · Oct 15, 2018 05:40:38 PM

re: "...I am new to Upwork but I have recently gotten 3 interviews. Two of which wanted to chat through google hangouts.... I have been offered a position which I would really like to take, however, I have been told that they track my hours and it's direct deposit."

Holly:

There is no real position there. Those people are simply trying to steal your money.

Many newbie freelancers have ended up losing 2 to 3 thousand dollars of their own money when they got involved with these scammers.

Holly C · Oct 15, 2018 08:12:59 PM

Thank you for all the responses, I really appreciate the input. When I get requested for an interview, what would be an appropriate way for them to host it? Would it only be via Upwork? I feel a little dumb trying to figure all of this out. I’m a nurse but want to do some small writing projects on the side. I did see the tip sheet in a previous reply but any help would be great.

Preston H · Oct 15, 2018 08:20:43 PM

It is up to you. Scammers mostly use Google Hangouts.

Many freelancers only interview using Upwork messaging tool. That is very safe.

But as a practical matter, scammers like to fake their identities, and they may not speak English with an accent that matches where they claim to be from. So you will rarely encounter scammers who interview using audio such as with Skype or a phone, or who will do video chat with you.

Pat M · Oct 16, 2018 06:40:07 AM

@Holly C wrote:
Thank you for all the responses, I really appreciate the input. When I get requested for an interview, what would be an appropriate way for them to host it? Would it only be via Upwork? I feel a little dumb trying to figure all of this out. I’m a nurse but want to do some small writing projects on the side. I did see the tip sheet in a previous reply but any help would be great.
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Holly, I'm sincerely not trying to be rude; and I'm not a Writer. However, I'd be surprised if Writers wouldn't have issue with your desire to be paid for your writing. Your test scores were only "Above Average" for US Word Usage and English Spelling. Again, I'm not a Writer; but I'd definitely think paid Writers' skill sets would be higher in those areas; for example upper 10%.

Martina P · Oct 16, 2018 02:30:46 AM

@Holly C wrote:
Hi, I am new to Upwork but I have recently gotten 3 interviews. Two of which wanted to chat through google hangouts and on the messages it says they do not have access to Upwork messages until access is restored. I have been offered a position which I would really like to take, however, I have been told that they track my hours and it's direct deposit. I know there is an Opt Out fee they can pay but I'm not sure if they paid this. I don't want to do something that conflicts with this site as this is where the job was posted. I told them I would be more comfortable working through the upwork site with tracking hours and payment. If we are given offers in this way, what is the best way to handle this? Thank you for your time.

Consider yourself lucky, it seems that some other freelancer flagged them and they have been suspended from upwork.

The opt-out fee, as I understand, has to be paid by you, the freelancer and even then it is strictly a 1:1 relationship. The fee is prohibitively high (around 3K USD) and out of the question for most freelancers.

It's not that the client pays it once and is then free to happily work around the system with anyone he likes.