Using PayPal instead of payment through upwork

[mthomas03]

I was contacted through text by a user new to upwork and she wants me to use PayPal for payment. I am a new freelancer and i want the work but I am not sure about this - it seems to got around all the safeguards that upwork has in place. What should i do?  I just have a bad feeling. Plus what she is asking me to do is not exactly the scope of her post. Much less complicated. 

Thanks!

Michelle 

[prestonhunter · Accepted solution]

This is a violation of one of Upwork's most sacred rules.

I am not exaggerating when I say that freelancers have been suspended just for TALKING about using PayPal as a payment method.

All payments must go through PayPal.

It is likely that the "client" you are talking to knows this, and is trying to scam you and steal your money and/or time.

[prestonhunter]

Having said all this:
Note that PayPal is allowed as a way that clients can fund their payments to Upwork. (As long as the client lives in a place that allows PayPal.)

But this is strictly between the client and Upwork.

The method a client uses to PayPal is not something that a freelancer needs to know and not something that a client should discuss with a freelancer.

[mthomas03]

Thank you for the support. I appreciate it. I really appreciate the feedback!!

[cylver1z]

Hello Michelle,

Preston is correct. Taking payment outside of Upwork is strictly prohibited here on Upwork. I just checked the client's account and I could see that our team has already taken action. You may also read this helpful article about avoiding questionable jobs. Thank you!

[mthomas03]

Thank you so much! I am so glad I went with my ‘bad feeling’!

[31194992]

So what do you tell the client to do.
I'm in this same situation, client wants to pay me directly, but I told her to go via upwork. Is there guideline I could give her, on how to pay on upwork?

[AveryO]

Hi Chinwendu, 

Please communicate with the client and let them know that it is a grave violation of the Upwork Terms of Service to offer and be paid off the Upwork platform. Here is an excellent article on Circumvention to help both you and your client understand this Terms of Service violation better. 

Here is more information about paying for hourly contracts, and here is more information on paying for fixed-price contracts.

If the client insists, please flag their job post as inappropriate so that the team can receive it in their queue and review the client's account further. 

[mthomas03]

Thank you so much!!! I know I am new but I had a bad feeling. I appreciate the feedback so much. Such a great community here!! 🙂

[rainbowcreations]

I have someone that wants to hire to view a toy is the job proposal., but wants my paypal account information... I told him I wanted to go through Upwork....He says Upwork doesn't like it when they go off the platform... He said if I feel uncomfortable, I could seen my paypal information through email.....He would provide me with the money through paypal, to purchase the toy though prime...then I would review toy...
I don’t know about this... He goes by **Edited for community guidelines**...

[BojanS]

Hi Shameka,

Thank you for this report. I'll be sure to escalate this to the correct team for further review and the appropriate action will be taken according to the internal processes.

Please check this help article for more information on how to use the flag option found on each job post or message to report any suspicious or inappropriate content. Also, check out this post for more tips on how to avoid questionable jobs.

Thank you!

[518c2971]

I see this is from 2018 and now here it is 2023 and I am in the same situation.  I'm brand new and this didn't sit well. Then, it seems to be encouraging and rewarding dishonesty.

This could be perfectly normal, but I'd be shocked. Where do I report this so someone can look into this?

Thanks in advance,

Mary

[518c2971]

I found everything I needed.  (except patience)