Buyer is requesting an interview

[jazozula]

Hi there,

I am new to fiverr and I have recieved a few messages from one user who is asking for an interview via google hangouts. Clarification regarding the position is generic and it’s kind of making me anxious. The buyer is new, does not have any gigs posted and is a generic name called “**********”. Is this normal?

thanks in advance!

Mod Note: Username removed.

[hanshuber16]

Hi there,

I am new to fiverr and I have recieved a few messages from one user who is asking for an interview via google hangouts. Clarification regarding the position is generic and it’s kind of making me anxious. The buyer is new, does not have any gigs posted and is a generic name called “**********”. Is this normal?

thanks in advance!

Mod Note: Username removed.

Hi,

Is this normal?

I don’t know about that. However, what I know is that it is against Fiverr’s rules to establish any sort of direct contact between the buyer and the seller outside of Fiverr.

Taken from the ToS:

• To protect our users’ privacy, user identities are kept anonymous. Requesting or providing Email addresses, S kype/IM usernames, telephone numbers or any other personal contact details to communicate outside of Fiverr in order to circumvent or abuse the Fiverr messaging system or Fiverr platform is not permitted.

• Any necessary exchange of personal information required to continue a service may be exchanged within the order page.

• Fiverr does not provide protection for users who interact outside of the Fiverr platform.

• All information and file exchanges must be performed exclusively on Fiverr’s platform.

Perhaps, the buyer isn’t aware of Fiverr’s rules. You could quote the above-mentioned paragraph from the ToS to the buyer and refuse to share your personal details/contact the buyer outside Fiverr.

Edit: Please remove the buyer’s name from your post as it is against forum’s rules. Thanks. @jazozula

[jazozula]

Hi,

Is this normal?

I don’t know about that. However, what I know is that it is against Fiverr’s rules to establish any sort of direct contact between the buyer and the seller outside of Fiverr.

Taken from the ToS:

• To protect our users’ privacy, user identities are kept anonymous. Requesting or providing Email addresses, S kype/IM usernames, telephone numbers or any other personal contact details to communicate outside of Fiverr in order to circumvent or abuse the Fiverr messaging system or Fiverr platform is not permitted.

• Any necessary exchange of personal information required to continue a service may be exchanged within the order page.

• Fiverr does not provide protection for users who interact outside of the Fiverr platform.

• All information and file exchanges must be performed exclusively on Fiverr’s platform.

Perhaps, the buyer isn’t aware of Fiverr’s rules. You could quote the above-mentioned paragraph from the ToS to the buyer and refuse to share your personal details/contact the buyer outside Fiverr.

Edit: Please remove the buyer’s name from your post as it is against forum’s rules. Thanks. @jazozula

Thanks so much. I knew about the ToS but wasn’t sure if I just missed something regarding interviewing and what not.

[miiila]

I 'd be extremely suspicious of and careful with any requests that give someone you don’t know at all enough data or even video material that could be abused for anything from publishing it on YouTube for “fun” to using it to represent themselves as you on some other platform or wherever (even if not via Google hangouts, skyp e, etc. and thus against Fiverr’s ToS, anyway, as Hans brought up, but in the form that they give you questions to record yourself answering or such).

[humanissocial]

I’ve been asked to do similar things and I always say no. It’s not only against the rules, but can bring up issues.

One of the reasons I use Fiverr is I like the security. There are records of what was agreed-to, what the scope is, etc. If you go outside of Fiverr, you lose that. I tell buyers I can only discuss the work and my qualifications through Fiverr chat. If they disagree, you have to wonder why? Yes, chatting can be more personal and convenient, but it really shouldn’t be necessary for a Fiverr gig.

Plus, when you do that, you’re adding to your labor time, plus you’ll inevitably be giving away expertise for free. I simply avoid this. It isn’t worth it financially, anyway.

[jameabir]

All communication should be done via fiverr. So you should not communicate outside of this area. This is something fiverr take seriously.