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hsbacho
Community Member

Security Deposit

Hi.

I'm new here in Upwork. I sent proposals and one client message me. We exchange email messages and discuss the job. And then he was asking me for a security deposit before we can start with the project. Is that how it works here? Please find attached a screenshot of the agreement he sent.

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

ACCEPTED SOLUTION
g_vasilevski
Retired Team Member
Retired Team Member

Hi Honilee,

 

Just to confirm that freelancers don't have to pay anything to their clients in order to earn. You will only need to be hired on an official contract before you start working.

To learn more about getting started on Upwork check out our recourses on this thread . Our team will also investigate your client for violation of our TOS and proper actions will be taken. Thank you.

~ Goran
Upwork

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33 REPLIES 33
g_vasilevski
Retired Team Member
Retired Team Member

Hi Honilee,

 

Just to confirm that freelancers don't have to pay anything to their clients in order to earn. You will only need to be hired on an official contract before you start working.

To learn more about getting started on Upwork check out our recourses on this thread . Our team will also investigate your client for violation of our TOS and proper actions will be taken. Thank you.

~ Goran
Upwork

I also got the same client today. He asked me to reach out him by his whatsapp contact number. Im new in freelancing, i couldn't understand the reason behing it 

When i contacted him for the job description, he asked me to submit money as security deposit.

BojanS
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Naila,

 

Please note that it is a violation of Upwork’s Terms of Service to request or share contact information before a contract starts.  You can check this help article for crucial information that will help you have a safe and successful journey on Upwork.

 

Thank you! 

~ Bojan
Upwork

If they are using WhatsApp, it is a scam. 

I hove joined newly, just 4 days ago. I have applied as freelancer for job agaist at least 30 jobs. some of them were removed from the market place and 7 cases of them responded and every client asked for deposit money through telegram or whatsapp by the name of Security Money or ID card cost or Insurance. no fear approach I found till now. I think all the job posters are fraud.

Hi Somnath,

 

I understand the frustration but I'd like to assure you that our Trust & Safety team is aware of the problem and is taking it seriously. They are working to address the issues, including higher than usual volumes of scam posts, and constantly changing methods of scam accounts. Feel free to check an update in this post for more information about the team's efforts around addressing these issues.
 
Additionally, you may want to check out this thread about top red flags for scams and flag suspicious user activities.

~ AJ
Upwork

hello,

 

i also received an email for typing document and asking for security deposit

 

pls see screenshot for reference


**Edited for Community Guidelines**



Hi Julie,

 

Thank you for reporting this, our team will review this further and will take proper actions. 

~ Goran
Upwork

I also had this problem just a few minutes ago! In the file they send me to choose a project there was a requirement of deposit which were quite a large sum! 

Hi Kate, 

 

Please know that this isn't how it works. Clients will need to hire you for the job and you don't have to pay any deposit to start working. 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. 

~ Joanne
Upwork

Hi Good day,

 

I am new to freelancing and also New to upwork.com. upon not knowing the full works of the site I was contacted by a client re a proposal I submitted. They asked to reach out on telegram. I did and was told that I should pay a deposit of 100usd which is refundable. Me not knowing I made the payment. Soon to realized it was a scam. They even deleted their account.

 

 

So sorry to hear you fell victim to one of the countless scams that Upwork can't prevent from being posted. Please read this to help you stay safe: https://community.upwork.com/t5/Community-Blog/Top-Red-Flags-for-Scams-From-Community-Member-Wes-C/b...

Hi, I am sorry this happened to you. Not the best way to start your journey on Upwork.

As a new freelancer, there is a lot you need to learn before jumping right in to sending proposals.

I would pause a moment to read the following ressources to get you up to spead on how to use Upwork, and learn what is allowed and not allowed.

Many Upwork rules were violated. The first broken rule was to communicate outside of Upwork. 

The second broken rule was to send money to client outside of Upwork. Those 2 rules alone can protect from most common scams.

Get Started – Upwork Customer Service & Support | Upwork Help

Upwork Customer Service & Support | Upwork Help

Upwork Legal Center

List of red flags for scams - Upwork Community

Freelancing 101 on Upwork - Upwork Community

Report Suspicious User Activity – Upwork Customer Service & Support | Upwork Help

Understanding and Using Connects – Upwork Customer Service & Support | Upwork Help

Tips to Avoid Questionable Jobs - Upwork Community

I'm also new to upwork and 1 client reached out to me to send him a chat at telegram and later he asks me for security deposit as part of the contract

 

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

re: "I'm also new to upwork and 1 client reached out to me to send him a chat at telegram and later he asks me for security deposit as part of the contract"

 

Thank you for sharing your experience with us here in the Forum.

 

Now you know that you were not supposed to be communicating with that "client" via Telegram.

You could be suspended for doing that.

 

Now you know that only a scammer asks for a security deposit. I'm glad you didn't fall for that trick.

How your team can identify the Client who asks for deposit security money / Insurance / I Card cost whatever it may, there is no identification No. of job posted.

martina_plaschka
Community Member


Honilee B wrote:

Hi.

I'm new here in Upwork. I sent proposals and one client message me. We exchange email messages and discuss the job. And then he was asking me for a security deposit before we can start with the project. Is that how it works here? Please find attached a screenshot of the agreement he sent.

**Edited for Community Guidelines**


Wow, that's a new one. Scammer. 

Security deposit???

Amazing.

I sure hope you didn't deposit anything 😄

To be honest, I don't have money to deposit. Smiley Very Happy

I have seen this same scam reported a few times before in the Forum. But only rarely.

 

I believe it doesn't work very well, and that most freelancers don't fall for this. If it was highly effective, we would see more reports of this.

 

it is actually kind of funny if you think about it.

 

Can you imagine going to a restaurant, and before ordering your meal, telling the waiter that he needs to pay you a security deposit?

 

Or hiring a kid from the neighborhood to mow your lawn, and telling him he needs to pay you a security deposit first?

 

Violates the basic logic of how hiring people works.

b8c374aa
Community Member

Hi everyone,

 

Another job offer asking me to provide a security deposit. Here is the link to the offer.

 

https://www.upwork.com/ab/proposals/1501150491040030721

 

Adrián

MichaelJ
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Adrian,

 

Thank you for letting us know. I will escalate to our team.

 

In the future, you can report scam job postings by using the "Flag as inappropriate" link on the job posting. That notification will go directly to the appropriate team.

 

Please keep in mind that all communication with clients must stay on Upwork until a contract is in place.


Cheers,
Mike
0a94fdf0
Community Member

Hi. I am also new here in Upwork. A company contact me to message them in telegram. At first I thought it was for direct hiring. They gave me a contract to sign. Upon thorough reading, the contract states that the freelancer needs to pay a security deposit. Upon clarification, the company ask for $50 security deposit. Please see attached.

**Edited for Community Guidelines**



 

 

 

 

 

Hi Rochielle,

 

Thank you for reaching out to us. I shared your report with our team for further investigation and appropriate actions will be taken according to our internal processes.

 

Please know that sharing contact information before a contract has started is against Upwork's Terms of Service and that all communications prior to the contract starting must take place on Upwork. You may want to check this help article and this post to help you stay safe on Upwork. 

 

~ Nikola
Upwork

In addition to it being against the terms of service for you to have contacted this client on Telegram, clients are not allowed to hire you directly either. You must have a contract on Upwork and all payments must go through Upwork. You can be permanently banned for not following this rule.

 

The person that you were dealing with was a scammer. The contract they sent you was worthless; they were just going to steal your "security deposit" and then vanish.

 

f978951a
Community Member

I have the same issue.

Hi May,

 

Thank you for reaching out to us. Please know that a real client will never ask you to give them money to start working, cash a check for them, work for free, or provide your personal information. Sharing contact information before a contract has started is against Upwork's Terms of Service and all communications prior to the contract starting must take place on Upwork.

I encourage you to let us know if a TOS violation has happened by using the Flag as Inappropriate option throughout the platform. You can learn more about user reporting here.

 

Additionally, you may want to check this thread and this help article to help you stay safe on Upwork. 

~ Nikola
Upwork
4c162ef9
Community Member

yeah I met same  clients asks 40$ as security refundable . Should we deposit or avoid?

Avoid, this is a scam. You will never be paid for the work.

58b97b0f
Community Member

Hi...i also have the same problem can you please investigate my  Client also he asked for security fee starting from $30  

Hi Dakalo,

 

I checked the job post you were referring to and it appears that it's already been taken down because it was in violation of Upwork TOS.


Please check out this course for more tips on staying safe on Upwork and please use the flag option found on each job post or message anytime you’d like to report a violation.

 

Thank you,

Pradeep

Upwork
a4257e51
Community Member

Just adding on to here to confirm with people that this is still a thing happening. I got messaged by a job and told to reach out to someone on Telegram. They had a pdf where I could choose the project and then pay a deposit for said project. Thankfully I had the wherewithal, as my gut was telling me dodgy, to decide to look on here first to confirm yeap scam. When I tried to question him on it (name Kenny Morrison) he just kept reiterating that they are a third party company they only recruit through Upwork but don't work on there, so that's why they aren't communicating on this page, haven't set up a contract through here etc, don't have to follow the rules. I told him that even if they're not scamming us, it sounds like they're scamming Upwork, as if they work outside of Upwork's systems how does Upwork get their commissions. And he said that I should trust him because he is confirming to me that they are legitimate, even though the email address was not a company email address and was mercyflames94 or something similar. The project was to type up pdf documents into word for Toptal. 

This thing is still happening because freelancer are still not following the rules and are still accepting work or sending proposal without knowing how to properly use Upwork. As long as freelencers will reply and even send money, scammers will keep coming.

 

Here is a great ressource. Read the main article at the top (by Jeanne H) and click on all the links inside that post.

Solved: Re: To all freelancers looking for help - Page 14 - Upwork Community

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