Client is refusing to pay!

[rahulnaskarr]

A client wrote "5-hour test project" in the job headline. And sent me a contract with 40 hrs/wk contract. 

And said to pass this test project I have to get a certificate by completing one of his course. 

I spent a week learning & acquired the certificate. 

Then he gave me another 148 page guide to finish before attempting the test project. 

I did that as well. All of this so called "training" was non-billable.

Then... 

After more than a month doing all of this. 

I started working on the 5-hr project. I submitted the article. He approved and then gave me more work.

And asked to track time using a software called TimeCamp. And then manually add time on Upwork. 

And then provided me with his Google workspace, project management site, WordPress site etc. 

I submitted around 5 articles more than 20 times. 

He approves then comments title is weak and gives me new information to include. 

I was stuck in an endless loop of revisions. 

Then finally when I wanted to quit and invoiced 3 weeks excluding 3 days of 4th week and the training period. 

He started saying you'll get paid by completed pieces of content. And you haven't submitted any usable article. 

And deleted my account from his company and didn't contact. 

When I submitted the invoices on Upwork. And manually added my hours.

(Because weekly limit was 40hrs/wk and my total billable hours from 3 weeks were 60; 20 hrs is saved as overtime.) 

Now, He's saying this project was a 5-hr test project and attacking me with the technicalities. 

What do I do now? How do I get my payments as he will not release it from the review? 

Thank you! 

[spectralua · Accepted solution]

Study.

Never work for free.

Never work overtime.

Never work without tracker.

Look like you wont be paid this time. Do not repeat your faults.

[rahulnaskarr]

The thing is I don't work without Upwork's tracker. This was my first time. I did this because the client has spent around $ 90k on Upwork and hired multiple freelancers. 

He mostly hires from Facebook and everyone in his company tracks time using the same software. 

It seemed legit. And thought he could do this. 

And I scrolled past a few reviews on his account then found a few with the warnings. 

He has done this to multiple Freelancers. 

Guess I got caught too. 

Lesson learned. Appreciate your response. Thanks!