Upwork and Fiverr Scams: How Fake Clients Target Freelancers

Short answer: Upwork and Fiverr are real freelancing marketplaces, and most clients are genuine. The scams come from fake clients who try to move you off the platform, ask you to pay for "training", "onboarding" or equipment, send cheques or payments you must partly refund, or offer to buy or rent your account. Both platforms say payments must stay on the platform. Once you leave, you lose their protection.

Are Upwork and Fiverr legit?

Yes. Upwork and Fiverr are established, publicly listed companies used by millions of freelancers, including many in Ghana and Nigeria. Clients pay through the platform, the money is held, and you are paid when work is approved or the order is completed. That system is what protects you. Almost every scam on these sites starts by trying to get you outside it.

One thing to separate: Upwork charges freelancers for Connects, which you spend to send proposals. That is paid to Upwork inside your account. It is not the same as a client asking you to pay them, which is always a scam.

Scam 1: "Let's continue on Telegram"

This is the most common opening. A "client" invites you to a job or replies to your proposal, then quickly asks to move the chat to Telegram, WhatsApp, Google Chat or Skype. Sometimes they say it is "faster" or that "Upwork fees are too high, I will pay you directly".

Upwork's own guidance lists pressure to leave the platform, and asking for payment outside Upwork, as major red flags. It says paying outside Upwork breaks its Terms of Service and means it cannot give you Payment Protection or help with disputes. Fiverr's Community Standards prohibit offering or accepting payment outside Fiverr and sharing contact details for off-platform business, and Fiverr says it cannot protect users who deal outside the platform.

What to say: "I keep all communication and payment on Upwork. Happy to continue here." A genuine client will accept. A scammer will push.

Scam 2: Pay for a test, training or "onboarding"

You are told you have the job, but first you must pay for a training course, a starter kit, software licence, background check or "job security deposit". Upwork's scam guidance says you should never pay a client any fee before starting work, and it names onboarding and job security fees as examples.

A related trick is the endless "test task". Some fake clients ask dozens of freelancers for free samples, then use the work without paying. A short, reasonable test is normal. A test that looks like a full project should be a paid contract on the platform.

Scam 3: Fake cheques, overpayments and "buy from our vendor"

The client sends a cheque or a payment for more than the agreed amount and asks you to send the difference to a "vendor" for your equipment, software or a colleague. Or they send money to your PayPal or bank and ask you to refund part of it. Later the payment bounces or is reversed, and you have already sent your own money.

The FTC is clear: no honest employer will send you a cheque and ask you to buy supplies and send back what is left. The cheque will bounce and the bank will want its money from you. Upwork also says genuine clients will not ask you to cash cheques. The same applies to payment screenshots and emails that say "funds sent". Trust only what appears in your Upwork or Fiverr earnings.

Scam 4: Account rental and identity requests

Someone messages you on LinkedIn, Facebook, Discord or Telegram offering money to "use" your verified Upwork or Fiverr account. They promise a monthly fee or a share of earnings. In Ghana and Nigeria this is often pitched as "easy passive income". Others ask for photos of your Ghana Card or passport, or your login, to "verify" you.

Upwork says sharing, selling, trading or transferring your account is not permitted, and that you cannot let anyone else log in. Its scam guide says scammers rent verified accounts precisely to avoid being flagged. When the account is used for fraud, it is your name and ID on it, and your account that gets banned. Never hand over your login, verification codes or ID documents.

Scam 5: Fake platform messages and phishing

You get an email, chat or QR code saying your order needs "approval", your account will be suspended, or you must verify your card to receive a payment. On Fiverr, scammers pose as Fiverr support or as buyers with links to "check the order".

Check orders and notifications only by opening the app or typing upwork.com or fiverr.com yourself. If there is no order in your real dashboard, there is nothing to approve. Real platform staff are marked as official in the platform's own messaging, and do not ask for your password or card details in chat.

How to check a client before you start

• On Upwork: look for "Payment method verified", the client's total spend, hire rate and reviews from other freelancers. A brand-new account with no spend and an urgent, vague job deserves extra care.
• On Fiverr: check the buyer's profile and history, and never accept a "custom offer" that sends you to pay or click elsewhere.
• Fund before you work. On Upwork fixed-price jobs, start only when the milestone is funded. For hourly jobs, use the Upwork desktop app so your time is tracked. On Fiverr, work only on an order that has been placed and paid.
• Search the company. If the client names a company, find its website yourself and check that the person really works there.
• Do not install unknown software. "Download our app to start the task" can mean malware or remote access to your computer.

Report it on the platform

On Upwork, use the flag option on the job post or message to report the client. On Fiverr, use the report option in the conversation or contact Fiverr Customer Support from the Help Centre. Reporting early helps the platform remove the account before it reaches other freelancers, and it creates a record if you need support later.

If a client's WhatsApp number or Telegram handle comes up, you can paste it into TrustCheck to see whether others have reported it.

What to do if you were already scammed

1. Stop all contact and do not send any more money or files.
2. Report the client to Upwork or Fiverr with screenshots.
3. If you sent money by MoMo or bank, call your provider or bank at once. In Ghana, report to the Cyber Security Authority (call or text 292) and the police. In Nigeria, report to the police and the EFCC.
4. If you shared your login or ID, change your password, turn on two-step verification and tell the platform straight away.
5. Ignore anyone who offers to "recover" your money for a fee.

Then report it on TrustCheck, and check a number, handle or website before you trust the next "client". Read about task scams and fake remote job offers too, because the same groups use all three.