I am sick of trying to get scammed in the upwork

[b9b2953a]

I am sick of employer asking for security deposit before even starting the job. What do they think we come to work here with our pocket all loaded with cash?

I just got recently in upwork and I got into two incidents(1.jpg) in two days. I am so angry as this makes me loose my connect and give false hope. 

First incident:

     **Edited for Community Guidelines**

      This job asks for switching between sheets. Then it sends me message that we should talk in mail and give me its mail address(I am attaching screenshot of the message in the attachment(2.jpg) ) and then it asks to watch 

**Edited for Community Guidelines** this video, which is about copying pasting docs. I am attaching the mail screenshot too(3.jpg). I said ok, i needed the job and excel and word both requires typing i thought and was thinking let it be. The mail sent me a link

**Edited for Community Guidelines** to fill the form for job. I went to the link and it asked for plan. I got confused and when i looked at the powerpoint attached to the mail(everything attached in the mail is in the attachment of this post), It asked for security deposit with various plan and also says that it will pay the salary using paypal. I got confused as i think upwork takes handle of every payment.

Second incident now:

                         I tried for this job**Edited for Community Guidelines**that claim to hire 78 freelancer. I was like ok this might be my chance and i applied. (i also noticed the client just joined upwork today so i thought probably i will get the job much quicker). It messaged me and told me to whatsapp him/her. I texted in whatsapp and then the same thing. She sent me the same exact video first person sent**Edited for Community Guidelines** and when i said that i have watched exact same video she quickly deleted our text message in upwork. Luckily i had notification in the phone remains of the text message(4.1, 4.2, 4.3). (I didn't know client had the right to delete the entire chat). Then she begins to tell me that i don't need to do security deposit but i have to deposit 40usd for the premium id card(5.jpg, 6.jpg) to process my salary payment and it also sent me the pdf file(which i am attaching with this mail) in whatsapp saying it will send me salary through paypal or bitcoin and many other. I am attaching everything with this post.

I am 10000% sure this is a scam in the way both are showing same video and the client have joined today. The first project claim to be from italy but everything is from india. This also makes me look into the matter as something is quite fishy. I am quite concerned about the potential scam i have to face and the connects i have to lose. This makes me lose my trust on the online job 😞 

Is there all incident happening with me only ? Am i doing something wrong? 

(I didn't knew maximum attachment here is only 4. I am gonna upload all the things in my cloud and share the link)

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[g_vasilevski]

Hi Binit,

I'm sorry to hear about the bad experience you've had. Our team will investigate this further and will take proper actions as soon as possible.

Please keep in mind that communicating outside of Upwork before an official contract is formed is not allowed. I can also recommend to check out this Post for more tips on how to avoid questionable jobs. To learn more about how to get started on Upwork check out our resources Here. Thank you.

[b9b2953a]

Thank you sir for your suggestions post and words. 

I got two problem with my account. Can you check it sir?(I don't want to again open whole new thread or should i? Please suggest for that too)

1) The client review is not showing.

2) My payment says pending although i have completed the work.

Thank you

-Binit Dhakal

[g_vasilevski]

Hi Binit,

1. Please keep in mind that in order for a contract to be listed on your profile, funds need to be exchanged. Once you've received feedback it can take up to 24 hours for your profile to be updated. 

2. Once the funds have gone through our 5 days security period they will be available on your account and you will be able to withdraw them. Thank you.

[97a005ec]

Hello, 

I am having serious doubt about upwork and l am a new member. 

l have received two jobs and they both want a security Premium ID Card for 40$ before l start the work. 

Is this normal? Is this how it works here?

[g_vasilevski]

Hi Simbarashe,

I'm sorry to hear about the bad experience you've had. I would like to confirm that this is not allowed and it is in violation of our TOS. Our team will investigate the clients further and will take proper actions.

Please keep in mind that communicating outside of Upwork before you're hired on an official contract, is not allowed. If a client asks you to move the communication outside of Upwork, you can flag their messages or report them directly to us (Moderators).

To learn more about how to protect yourself, check out resources Here. You can also check out this Post to learn more about how to avoid questionable jobs. Thank you.

[martina_plaschka · Accepted solution]

No, it's not happening to you only. It's happening to lots of other freelancers that don't know that there are stipulations in the terms of service to keep them perfectly safe if they only read them and adhere to them. 

Not communicating outside of upwork before hire means you will not waste your time or even money with any scammer. It's really simple. Keep all communication on upwork, and you are not a good target. Plus, you keep your profile, since it's strictly forbidden to do what you did. 

Rethink your strategy. It is not a good strategy to apply to jobs with 78 applicants. That's the kind of job you should stay away from. 

Finally, if the job is taken down for a violation by upwork, you get your connects back, so no harm done. 

[b9b2953a]

Thank you @MartinaP and @GoranV for your words. I today have got my first job and i just realized that interviewing and hiring are two different steps here. The scammers used to say that i am hired and i used to think that probably i am hired and then i used to give my email and they would take the conversation outside of the upwork. I should have said them to first hire me and by completing the official contract i should have given my email. That was mistake from my end too. 

Thank you

-Binit Dhakal

[martina_plaschka]

---

Binit D wrote:

Thank you @MartinaP and @GoranV for your words. I today have got my first job and i just realized that interviewing and hiring are two different steps here. The scammers used to say that i am hired and i used to think that probably i am hired and then i used to give my email and they would take the conversation outside of the upwork. I should have said them to first hire me and by completing the official contract i should have given my email. That was mistake from my end too. 

Thank you

-Binit Dhakal

---

That's why you need to read the ToS first before jumping into anything. Talking outside of upwork before hire is more that a mistake, it can seriously endanger your account, since that is explicitely forbidden. 

[arifsaeedd]

1. Dont talk outside upwork before contract starts
2. Never ever fill form outside upwork, i think its just to get info from you, they can use it in any way they want, learn about social engineering, which can be used to fake identity and what not. 
3. Neve pay to employee, the money flows from employee to employer, not the other way

[sofia2008]

There are no Employers or Employees on Upwork.

There are Freelancers and Clients.

Money flows from Clients to Upwork, then from Upwork to Freelancers.