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2b2f8cf9
Community Member

Help! I think I am possibly being scammed.

I'm new to this community.  I was recently offered a job from one of my proposals, and just after I received the offer, I was notified that Upwork had removed their posting.  I did not fully understand this and accepted the job.  I researched the company and received a very legit looking offer letter.  Today they sent me a check to purchase IT and goods I will need for this position, but the check is from a gas company (not the potential employer) and the letter included has no letterhead, etc.  It's Friday night and they want me to go deposit it now into an atm and send them a copy of the receipt so they can verify the deposit.  They are waiting on me to do this now and I am afraid.  Can someone help me figure out what to do?

 

4 REPLIES 4
colettelewis
Community Member


Jenn B wrote:

I'm new to this community.  I was recently offered a job from one of my proposals, and just after I received the offer, I was notified that Upwork had removed their posting.  I did not fully understand this and accepted the job.  I researched the company and received a very legit looking offer letter.  Today they sent me a check to purchase IT and goods I will need for this position, but the check is from a gas company (not the potential employer) and the letter included has no letterhead, etc.  It's Friday night and they want me to go deposit it now into an atm and send them a copy of the receipt so they can verify the deposit.  They are waiting on me to do this now and I am afraid.  Can someone help me figure out what to do?

 


_______________________

So first of all you believe a total stranger is going to send you a check to buy stuff. Second you believe it is OK to violate Upwork's terms of service - particularly when they actually closed the job. Third, if you try to depost that "check", your bank will probably close your account, because you have deposited a fake check. 

 

We don't have to figure out what to do - you do. 

 

 

Hey I'm just looking for supportive help here.  I realize that I should have listened to my gut earlier, but I've caught the problem in time.  Also, they contacted me about the job before Upwork sent me an email stating the job was being removed, which they told me would happen.  I've been unemployed since mid-November and I'm drowning in need for work.  My blinders were definitely on but now I am just looking for support from this community on how to go forward and who to contact about this since they no longer have an account with Upwork.  Kind responses only please.

 

 


Jenn B wrote:

Hey I'm just looking for supportive help here.  I realize that I should have listened to my gut earlier, but I've caught the problem in time.  Also, they contacted me about the job before Upwork sent me an email stating the job was being removed, which they told me would happen.  I've been unemployed since mid-November and I'm drowning in need for work.  My blinders were definitely on but now I am just looking for support from this community on how to go forward and who to contact about this since they no longer have an account with Upwork.  Kind responses only please.

 

____________________________

Jenn - this is one of the oldest scams since the internet began, so do not follow up on it.

 

Before accepting any job or applying for any job, read Upwork's terms of service and also all the  help pages for newcomers - start here: https://community.upwork.com/t5/New-to-Upwork/Getting-Started-on-Upwork/m-p/264214#M2460


 

Jenn:

Don't take it personally.

 

Experienced freelancers who are frequent Forum participants hear the stories from inexperienced freelancers having trouble with these scammers again and again. So sometimes we may seem impatient or testy. None of that is about you as a person.

 

And people coming to the Forum for the first time are not always accustomed to the tone here. So some people are taken aback at first. But if one gets acclimated, one realizes that the people here are very friendly and extremely helpful and knowledgeable. It's just that they don't always communicate in the same way as some of the online forums you have previously participated in, and they don't communicate just like customer support people at some businesses - because the users who write in the Forum are not support staff. They are regular users.

 

Newcomers to Upwork sometimes violate important Upwork ToS rules that experienced Upwork users are very familiar with. If we are frustrated it is because we know how detrimental violating those rules can be for inexperienced users of the site. Think of it like a mother yelling at young child who is about to touch a hot stove.

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