Scam job pretending to be **

[tracycg]

I was recently recruited in Upwork by a client who was pretending to be a real Project Manager from **Edited for Community Guidelines**. When you google his name and credentials, they are available at Linked. I went through the whole interview and recruitment process, even gave my address and cellphone number because he said I would be considered a part time employee and not a free lancer for tax purposes. Long story short, they sent me a check and got me thinking I needed to deposit this and wait for it to clear the next day to buy “software”. When he said I needed to buy Bitcoin, I knew it was a scam. I called **Edited for Community Guidelines**headquarters and found out I wasn’t talking to the real employee for the past couple of days. I had to withdraw all my money from my bank just to be sure. Left the $1800 in there, had to report to the Bank that it was a fraudulent check and after 2 days they charged me $12 for a service fee. Lesson: if it’s too good to be true. It’s not real! In fairness to Upwork, they did email me that the client did not meet their requirements but I was too naive not to see it through. 😒

[jr-translation]

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Tracy G wrote:
I was recently recruited in Upwork by a client who was pretending to be a real Project Manager from **Edited for Community Guidelines**. When you google his name and credentials, they are available at Linked. I went through the whole interview and recruitment process, even gave my address and cellphone number because he said I would be considered a part time employee and not a free lancer for tax purposes. Long story short, they sent me a check and got me thinking I needed to deposit this and wait for it to clear the next day to buy “software”. When he said I needed to buy Bitcoin, I knew it was a scam. I called **Edited for Community Guidelines**headquarters and found out I wasn’t talking to the real employee for the past couple of days. I had to withdraw all my money from my bank just to be sure. Left the $1800 in there, had to report to the Bank that it was a fraudulent check and after 2 days they charged me $12 for a service fee. Lesson: if it’s too good to be true. It’s not real! In fairness to Upwork, they did email me that the client did not meet their requirements but I was too naive not to see it through. 😒

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But it would have been ok for you to get paid outside Upwork? Did you at any time read the ToS?

[tracycg]

Just the gist. He argued that the position need to be filled ASAP and recruiting from Upwork was more viable.

[astepanov83]

Freelancers sell

Clients buy

Freelancers never buy

Clients never sell

Everything else is a scam

[mwiggenhorn · Accepted solution]

Tracy, before you send another proposal, READ the TOS.  You fell for the oldest scam in the books and you agreed to accept payment off the platform - a violation that could get you kicked off the platform permanently.  You are in charge of your business - don't make rookie mistakes that could cost you.

[martina_plaschka]

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Tracy G wrote:
Just the gist. He argued that the position need to be filled ASAP and recruiting from Upwork was more viable.

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Do you now have awareness of what you did wrong, or do you not?

This tale has been told many many times on the forum, but most people came here before they made these mistakes and did not suffer any damages except to their ego, of course. 

Your scamdar needs to improve by a large margin for you to stay safe on this platform.