Potential client wants my email address with no contract

[lucianabass]

A potential client asked me for my email address, as we don't have a contract and I know it is illegal to give my contact information to him at this point I said that to him but he insists. So, my question is, what exactly can I offer him? To talk through Upwork message centre is the only option I can give him at this point or are there any other ways I can suggest?

Thanks in advance for your answers

[prestonhunter · Accepted solution]

re: "Potential client wants my email address with no contract"

Upwork rules (ToS) allow clients and freelancers to communicate using the Upwork Messages tool. This includes chat, text, voice/audio call, video call, built-in Zoom.

So this should provide all the functionality needed to communicate.

AFTER a client hires a freelancer with an official Upwork contract, clients and freelancers can communicate any way they want to. After a contract is in place, the freelancer may provide the client with an email address. AFTER a contract is in place, clients and freelancers may indeed communicate via email.

re: "as we don't have a contract and I know it is illegal to give my contact information to him at this point I said that to him but he insists."

Well... We don't want to use the word "illegal." Let's reserve the word "illegal" for things pertaining to the laws of geographical jurisdictions - city, county, state, nation, etc.

On Upwork, let's talk about what is "allowed" and "not allowed."

On Upwork, a freelancer is not allowed to communicate with a client off-platform UNTIL an official Upwork contract is in place.

re: "So, my question is, what exactly can I offer him? To talk through Upwork message centre is the only option I can give him at this point or are there any other ways I can suggest?"

If this is a job that you want to do, then tell the client:

"Harold: Yes, I can provide you with my email address and we can communicate via email (or any other method of your choice) after an official Upwork contract is in place. You can go ahead and click on the green Hire button, and then I will accept the contract and send you my email address. Until then, we can communicate using the Upwork Messages tool. We can use that for text, live chat, video, audio, built-in Zoom - whichever methods you prefer."

[lucianabass]

Very clear, thanks for all the answers.

[wlyonsatl]

Luciana,

In general, sharing information with potential clients outside of Upwork before an Upwork contract is in place violates Upwork's Terms of Service, but Upwork has provided for exceptions:

https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/360051749534-Contact-Information-Sharing

Has your potential client told you why they want your email address?

If none of the exceptions apply to your situation, cut and paste the above link in a  message (via the Upwork message board) to your potential client so they can see that this is Upwork's policy that the client and you must follow. Not all clients pay much attention to the finer points of doing business on Upwork.

[1b361d14]

I've had a few of contacts similar.  If the client isn't being respectful of Upwork's guidelines, I recommend reporting them.  It is possible that the job post is a scam.

[prestonhunter]

I think this policy causes some problems... situations where a legitimate client may get frustrated with a policy she doesn't understand.

But overwhelmingly I think this policy is NOT causing problems. I think that MOST of the clients (or "clients") who try to get freelancers to communicate off-platform (such as through Instagram or Skype or Telegram or whatnot) are just scammers.

Communicating on Upwork via the Messages tool is not complicated.

So the overwhelming majority of times, when a client asks to communicate off-platform, or asks for an email address and doesn't even say why... Nothing is being lost. There is no real job there.

If a client has an actual reason - "I need your email address so I can share a file with you via Dropbox" - then Upwork makes reasonable exceptions for such situations.

[roberty1y]

I'd be wary of any client going out of his way to get in contact outside of Upwork before a contract starts, given the wide choice of communication options on the site. Probably a scammer.

[kanemanagement]

So is it possible to get connections credited back to your account if a post you applied for turns out to violate terms or be a scam? I've applied for 2 jobs that have sent messages asking to interview on Skype. One asked to send me a PDF of a check so I can mobile deposit it then go buy a laptop and software. 100% scam. How can I be credited the connections used when I believed the post was legit when I applied?

[prestonhunter]

re: "So is it possible to get connections credited back to your account if a post you applied for turns out to violate terms or be a scam?"

Yes.

If you use the "Flag as inappropriate" link button in the top right corner of a job posting page to report a client that violates Upwork ToS, then Upwork may investigate and take down the job post.

If Upwork does that, then you will automatically receive connects back, to refund you for the connects you used on that job.

[3c5d316b]

Hi, I just want to ask. A potential client message me fr other site asking if I do have an upwork. I do have. My question is, which upwork link should I give him for him to see my profile? Thank you in advance.

[feed_my_eyes]

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Redilyn M wrote:

Hi, I just want to ask. A potential client message me fr other site asking if I do have an upwork. I do have. My question is, which upwork link should I give him for him to see my profile? Thank you in advance.

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You can go to your profile and copy the link. However, I would be suspicious of somebody who contacts you on another website and asks about your Upwork account (why didn't they hire you through this other site?). Scammers often approach freelancers wanting to "rent" their accounts - which is strictly forbidden and can get you into a lot of trouble. If they give you some story about how Upwork isn't allowed in their country or say that they were banned for no reason, you should report it and block them.