New to Upwork-More scams than offers

[cmad94]

Does Upwork screen clients who offer jobs? The few proposals I sent that received interest were from clients that wanted me to contact them off-site, a clear disregard of the ToS agreement. 

Tailoring proposals for each job with no response is getting old. 

[prestonhunter]

re: "Does Upwork screen clients who offer jobs?"

No.

[JoanneP]

Hi Caroline,

Thank you for taking the time to let us know here. If you see a job or a profile that seems suspicious, you can report it to us using the flagging option. You can read more on this help article and also, please check out Tips to avoid questionable jobs. You might also want to check out the information here to learn more about staying safe on Upwork. 

[martina_plaschka · Accepted solution]

There seem to be lots of scammers in the proofreading niche. They are targeting newbies with no work history and try to take advantage of their inexperience with the platform. I'm glad that you have read the ToS and know how to keep yourself safe. 

After a while, you will recognize scammy job posts within a fraction of a second. They have vague language, offer unreasonably high amounts of money and often have no hiring history. 

You can improve your profile a bit by adding portfolio pieces, maybe an introduction video. The more professional you present, the less you will be targeted. (NOT saying it's your fault that they are after you! It seems to be a rite of passage for US freelancers to be a target of scammers.)