My complaint:
Explanation and details of Upwork fraud
We signed the contract between Upwork freelancer and us on October 28.2022, with deadline requested by the freelancer on January 6.2023, we paid in full via Paypal $3,828.12 ($328.12 for Upwork and $3,500.00) as escrow which should be released to the freelancer when the project will be delivered, tested and finished with 90 warranty for fixing web functionality bugs and problems.
Because we have not received any work by January 6. 2023 from the freelancer we requested the final project and the freelancer responded they’re working on it and they will upload the project on our server, but when we requested some samples they sent us either nothing or links showing some cheap plugins purchased from some third party. We exchanged many messages with the freelancer encouraging them to finish the project, but because we didn’t receive anything by January 24. I told them they have two more days to deliver the work and we have not received anything by January 26. 2023 we cancelled the contract. After that the freelancer requested payment via freelancer which we refused since we haven’t received anything, 0 work done and they opened a dispute. The dispute was signed by a mediator which completely ignored the fact the freelancer missed the deadline and even three weeks later wasn’t able deliver anything to us and recommended us to pay the freelancer. Total nonsense. Then the mediator said we have until February 18. 2023 to file arbitration and paid about $330 for it, but if neither we or the freelancer file the arbitration the money will be released back to us automatically. We were monitoring the discussion channel which was open for the mediator, us, and the freelancer and because there was no update by February 18., no update by February 19. We were positive since the freelancer had nothing to argue with, (no work done, deadline missed) there is no arbitration, and our money will be returned. On February 20. 2023 the message popped up saying that we missed the deadline for arbitration (February 18.) and they released the money to the freelancer. Unbelievable! We’re disputing the charge because we paid Upwork to be guarantor of the project which will be finished by the Upwork freelancer. They took $328.12 for it. Because no work has been delivered and the contract has been breached by the freelancer, the contract must be voided, and no arbitration should be an option. This whole operation is like internet robbery and scam, unfortunately there is no option to appeal or dispute anything at Upwork.
Be aware of Upwork, they will do whatever they want with your money as soon as you put them in escrow.
They don’t provide anything besides list of people they call themselves “freelancers”. They can be scammers like the ones we dealt with called THERNLOVEN – people they don’t do anything and charge you money through Upwork. Upwork gives them your money even if they don’t deliver any work for you.
UPWORK is SCAM!
Suggested solution:
we lost all our escrow deposit
