Payment

[2b93b019]

Hi. I am new on Upwork. I have worked for a client.Their payment method is  verified.  I have finished their work. They asked me that they will pay me $1500.

i agreed and started working from them. For the work, they gave me a telegram link, and they send me the files over their for the project. I completed their job and send the files to them. Then they gave me another link to contact their payment manager. I contacted him. He said he will start processing my payment. He sent me an email. I am attaching the pic for that email. In that email, they mentioned that send your id document for verification, and a $50 USD identification transaction fee. He said it is one time fee and will be refunded. . I paid him that fee. Then he said, there is an issue. You need to pay another $100 AUD to get a verification code. This will be the last step and your pay will show in your account. But I didn't send him that 100 dollars. 
i am confused now, is this a scam or something.

i am attaching both screenshots. The email for my id . And tge other one which was a job post. 

 

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[f57b7b21]

 this a scam 

Based on the information you provided, it seems like there is a possibility that this could be a scam. Legitimate clients on platforms like Upwork usually do not ask for personal identification documents or request payment for verification codes. Be cautious and prioritize your online security.

Here are a few steps you can take:

1. Contact Upwork Support:

   • Report this situation to Upwork Support immediately. They can investigate and provide guidance on how to proceed.

2. Do Not Send More Money:

   • Refrain from sending any more money or personal information. Legitimate clients should not ask for additional payments beyond the agreed-upon terms on the platform.

3. Review Upwork's Guidelines:

   • Familiarize yourself with Upwork's guidelines and policies regarding payments and communication. This will help you identify red flags in the future.

Remember, it's crucial to prioritize your safety and follow the platform's guidelines. If something feels off, it's better to be cautious and seek advice from Upwork Support.

[7a0660e6]

So how can we participate 

[NikolaS · Accepted solution]

Hi Arpandeep,

Thank you for reaching out to us. I would like to clarify 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. Never get paid or pay someone outside of Upwork. You may open yourself up to scams or fraud, and lose Upwork Payment Protection.

Unfortunately, it looks like you were not hired for this job. Please keep in mind that you shouldn't provide any work until your client sends you an offer and a contract is created under your My Jobs tab. 

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, I would encourage you to check this help article and available learning paths in the Academy section to help you get a safe and successful start. 

I will also share your report with our team for further review. 

[2b93b019]

Yes. Thanks

I have received one more again. They are doing same thing. I am attaching the screenshot of the Project and what they are saying me. They are saying they just put their jobs on Upwork, so that freelancers can give bid. Rest of the job they don on telegram and they make payments outside of Upwork as well. And there is a connection fee, the freelancer has to pay to get the payment into their accounts. 

 

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

 

[NikolaS]

Thank you, Arpandeep. 

I will share that with our team as well. I also encourage you to use Flag as Inappropriate option throughout the platform. 

[ea900295]

Hi,

can you please help me. I have this client who haven't paid me. And now the status of the payment pending got refunded to him. He is verified and I'm done with the task. It's been 2 weeks now. Please help me**Edited for community guidelines**

[JoanneP]

Hi Mikah,

I want to confirm that someone from our team contacted you regarding the status of your contract. Please check this ticket and feel free to post any questions there so our team can assist you further. 

[834a7af5]

Ive also experienced the same problem, they want the $50 fee.

So how are we to see whether a post is a scam or not? I'm asking because all these responses I get require me to contact them on telegram

[NikolaS]

Hi Nqobile,

I would be happy to help. 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. I encourage you to check my previous post on this thread for more information. 

You can find the post using this link. Let us know if you have further questions. 

[6dee5528]

Same with me! I was recently asked to interview for a freelance Scrum Master opportunity with **Edited for Community Guidelines**. They are asking for me to accept a check from them to purchase equipment. They also asked me to send a copy of my drivers license with my picture during the interview to ensure that I am who I am on Skype. I tried to submit a ticket on UpWork support but it takes 24-48 hours for a response which is horrible practice considering people are waiting for contract acceptance in minutes. I feel it is poor practice for UpWork to not provide customer support within the hour and it is poor practice that they don't have proper security measures in place to reduce scammers. This issue with accepting check payments for equipment and sending people to Skype for interviews that are written and not on camera is alarming. I was hoping that UpWork would provide some sort of protection for their freelancers but the more I hear about the freelancers getting scammed on UpWork it is making me more and more uncomfortable to offer my services on this platform. I am deeply saddened by the lack of support and the poor security in place for the freelancers. I cannot believe this is happening.