Cx started a contract and sent me a RAT file

[naaim-sajjad]

Hi Guys , so this customer on Upwork posted a job and I sent porposal as usual, he found me fit and asked some questions on over text, he did not ask for call or interview, I showed him my work. He was impressed and he started contract. Now he asking me first thing to install a file which has Virus in it, clearly he is trying to hack my PC and steal funds. Now I am afraid what I should do. If I cancel the job it will impact my rating. Additionally I want to report this person as well. not sure how should I proceed with it. Screenshot of the file scan is attached. I also informed him that his file contains Virus, he says you are using mac it wont effect you. later he said yeah you are right it can harm but dont worry it wont harm you.
Lastly I billed this guy 30 minutes I spent on it. I mean the payment will be reviewed of course. But I am not sure how to proceed with such cases, any idea?

[naaim-sajjad]

He also sent me a file on upwork, I an afraid it is same , only thing it passed upwork virus scan becasue it was encryted propoerly. Fortunately I knew about this , else I would have been hacked by now.

[PradeepH · Accepted solution]

Hi Naaim,

It is unfortunate that you had to deal with such a difficult client. You did the right thing by not installing any file that has a virus, even if the client assured you otherwise. That could compromise your security and privacy.

You are already taking good precautions by using antivirus software, but you should also keep it updated and run regular scans on your computer. You should also be careful not to click on any suspicious links or attachments from unknown senders. You should also have a backup of your important files and data in case something goes wrong.

I appreciate your report and I have forwarded it to our team for further investigation and action according to our internal policies. You can also use the "Flag as Inappropriate" feature on our site to report any suspicious activity.

I hope this helps you solve the problem and avoid such clients in the future. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

- Pradeep

[naaim-sajjad]

Thank you so much for quick reply , I see upwork has closed the account already. However I billed this customer $25 but that is gone since his account is closed. May I know if I will be able to get it?