Scam Job?

d_gossage · ‎05-12-2020

I just landed a job for a proofreader/editor with a company called **Edited for community guidelines**. I googled it and the company exists in Canada, but how do I know if the people I'm working with are legit from the company?

iliana-jaimes · ‎05-12-2020

Hi, I think someone was trying to make a SCAM through UpWork recently: I received a message from a "recruiter" that was asking me to go to Skype for an interview. I went there and it was a writen questionnaire. After filling it and sending it, they told me I was selected to work with them as a proofreader, but that for it I needed to work with them OUT of UpWork, that they were going to send me a check to my address for me to buy some equipment to work from it. I am pretty sure that it is a SCAM. **Edited for community guidelines** It would be good if you can help us as freelancers to identify and avoid any time of SCAM through UpWork platform. Thank you!!

BojanS · ‎05-12-2020

Hi David and Iliana,

I've checked your reports and action has been taken on the clients' accounts due to violation of Upwork TOS.

Please check out this post for more tips on how to avoid questionable jobs and please use the flag option found on each job post or message anytime you’d like to report a violation.

Thank you.

~ Bojan

moeungvictoria · ‎08-22-2020

I Literally JUST went through the same thing- EXACTLY. they asked for my name, address, email, and contact number. Then continued to inform me,
"Accounting will scan your check and email you a pdf version, which you can proceed to print on your printer, and do a mobile deposit on your mobile phone. This would be faster than mailing you a physical check which will take more than a day and with the whole covid situation in town and the original version will be send to your address in a few days for your records."

Then said, "What financial institution do you operate with, so we can look up their mobile deposit policy, and how fast their funds availability policy is ?"

Is this a scam? Did I just give them information.. to potentially get hacked?

a_lipsey · ‎08-22-2020

Victoria M wrote:
I Literally JUST went through the same thing- EXACTLY. they asked for my name, address, email, and contact number. Then continued to inform me,
"Accounting will scan your check and email you a pdf version, which you can proceed to print on your printer, and do a mobile deposit on your mobile phone. This would be faster than mailing you a physical check which will take more than a day and with the whole covid situation in town and the original version will be send to your address in a few days for your records."

Then said, "What financial institution do you operate with, so we can look up their mobile deposit policy, and how fast their funds availability policy is ?"

Is this a scam? Did I just give them information.. to potentially get hacked?

Yes, Victoria. It is a scam, and you may have problems. You should never have given that information out. You need to read the TOS. Communication should have stayed through Upwork until you have a contract in place (through Upwork) and all payments are processed through Upwork. You will NEVER receive a check. I would alert your bank and change all your passwords, etc. If they emailed you a check, DO NOT deposit it. And read all the articles in the help section about suspiscious jobs and also re-read the TOS so you don't break them again and get banned.

moeungvictoria · ‎08-22-2020

Is that really all the information they need..?
I will be reading the TOS. but until then, where did I go wrong where I should be able to see yellow flags? They also had emailed me an employment letter for me to fill out which was all via email. -I unfortunately signed it electronically and sent it back via skype.. me doing that- what does that mean??
They continued asking if the account mobile deposit is enabled.. and who I bank with. I answered the questions..

I'm currently in the process of changing my passwords... but I'm really concerned... Did I really just set myself up for failure?

a_lipsey · ‎08-22-2020

Big red flags: you are not allowed to communicate with clients off platform until you have a contract in Upwork. So them emailing you and you communicating in Skype was against TOS.

Other red flags: you will never receive a check as payment. It will always be electronically through Upwork. Not as an email but set up through Upwork to the payment method you selected when you signed up.

I'm not sure what will happen with your bank. Hopefully you didn't try to cash any checks and maybe you will be okay.

To stay safe keep all communication on Upwork until you have an Upwork contract. Then you may exchange contact details to communicate however you wish. Also, never accept any payment that doesn't go through Upwork and do not give out any other personal information besides your email and/or phone ONLY after a contract is in place and you are comfortable communicating that way. Many people manage all communication through Upwork entirely.

martina_plaschka · ‎05-12-2020

David G wrote:
I just landed a job for a proofreader/editor with a company called Pyrowave. I googled it and the company exists in Canada, but how do I know if the people I'm working with are legit from the company?

Why do you care? Is the job legit or do you have concerns?

d_gossage · ‎05-12-2020

I was recently blindsided by this fake company posing as a real one. If you get an offer from **Edited for community guidelines**, please be aware that they are fake.

d_gossage · ‎05-12-2020

If you see any job posting from **Edited for community guidelines** on behalf of a plastics company for a Proofreading/editing job, report it as Innappropriate. This is a scam being run by people posing as said company. I discovered this after they offered me a job. Please beware.

colettelewis · ‎05-12-2020

David G wrote:
If you see any job posting from **Edited for community guidelines** on behalf of a plastics company for a Proofreading/editing job, report it as Innappropriate. This is a scam being run by people posing as said company. I discovered this after they offered me a job. Please beware.

__________________________

David,

These people (and there are hundreds of them) have moved into the writing/editing sector and they target newcomers. The only job you "land" on Upwork, is a job that has an official Upwork contract, either fixed-price or hourly, with payment going through Upwork.

prestonhunter · ‎05-12-2020

re: "I googled it and the company exists..."

Do not Google company names.

That is part of the scam. The scammers want you to google the names they feed you.