Shady(?) people asking to sell their services through your own seller account or to chat online outside fiverr?

[stylograph1]

An acquaintance of mine I recommended fiverr to being a seller on mentioned their initial experience as follows, are these well-known scams you’ve also experienced in particular? And how do they even make money by trying to hijack your account this way?
“I signed up for fiver for a couple weeks and checked it every day. I got a lot of shady messages from people wanting to use my account as a front. They would do all the work, and I would be the front man, this leading to other corrupt schemes I am sure. Of course, I simply ignored all that. One message I received seemed legit, but they wanted to go to a well-known online chat/video service and not type out what they wanted to me. I didn’t have on that chat service, and they bailed on me immediately. After having all those negative interactions, I turned it off. I might give it another chance, not sure.”
Fiver sellers, did you experience this when first starting out? Is it an ongoing part of who contacts you even after you become established with numerous past gigs you sold? Is it something that’s new on fiverr, or been around awhile? Was it the majority of those who contact you, or only a tiny portion? Any general or specific tips/insight appreciated. Is it just something to endure as one hopefully gets gigs and therefore the percentage of those trying to pull such a stunt are a minority of who is contacting a seller after they gig more and more gigs and legit contacts outnumber the scammers/shady contacts?

[guilarteluis]

I was also contacted by several people. offering the same.
I told him that I’m not interested in his proposal. and they got upset
🤨

[catwriter]

An acquaintance of mine I recommended fiverr to being a seller on mentioned their initial experience as follows, are these well-known scams you’ve also experienced in particular? And how do they even make money by trying to hijack your account this way?

“I signed up for fiver for a couple weeks and checked it every day. I got a lot of shady messages from people wanting to use my account as a front. They would do all the work, and I would be the front man, this leading to other corrupt schemes I am sure. Of course, I simply ignored all that. One message I received seemed legit, but they wanted to go to a well-known online chat/video service and not type out what they wanted to me. I didn’t have on that chat service, and they bailed on me immediately. After having all those negative interactions, I turned it off. I might give it another chance, not sure.”

Fiver sellers, did you experience this when first starting out? Is it an ongoing part of who contacts you even after you become established with numerous past gigs you sold? Is it something that’s new on fiverr, or been around awhile? Was it the majority of those who contact you, or only a tiny portion? Any general or specific tips/insight appreciated. Is it just something to endure as one hopefully gets gigs and therefore the percentage of those trying to pull such a stunt are a minority of who is contacting a seller after they gig more and more gigs and legit contacts outnumber the scammers/shady contacts?

did you experience this when first starting out?

Similar stuff, yes.

It happens later, too.

Just report them and block them, especially if they ask for any kind of contact outside of Fiverr (it’s strictly forbidden, and can get you banned if you accept to do it).

[stylograph1]

On 3/12/2019 at 5:45 PM, catwriter said:

Similar stuff, yes.

It happens later, too.

Just report them and block them, especially if they ask for any kind of contact outside of Fiverr (it’s strictly forbidden, and can get you banned if you accept to do it).

Hmm… I presume that since there’s plenty of sellers who advance to the higher levels, they aren’t so bogged down with only scammer messages, but increasingly get more and more legit messages that they tolerate it without giving up. Though I suppose it can be disappointing on one’s first few weeks perhaps only getting these messages.

Anyone having further thoughts about this topic are welcome to share, thanks.

[misscrystal]

Hmm… I presume that since there’s plenty of sellers who advance to the higher levels, they aren’t so bogged down with only scammer messages, but increasingly get more and more legit messages that they tolerate it without giving up. Though I suppose it can be disappointing on one’s first few weeks perhaps only getting these messages.

Hello and welcome to fiverr! I have been here over six years. I rarely get these types of messages. They seem to target newcomers, since they may be unaware of how fiverr works or unaware of the rules and terms of service.

I’ve never found it to be a big problem. You can use the little report button and simply report these messages.

You will find this is a very nice site to work on or make purchases on in general. Don’t let these messages discourage you. They will fade out as you are on fiverr more.

[raul_designs]

I sent a response back to a buyer request earlier today- they were requesting background removal and some enhancements on scanned photos that they also needed to be sent in multiple print file sizes… it was all kind of vague…

so I asked for clarification and then soon after I got a message from someone requesting to discuss “a contract” and I asked for more info on their seller request once again.

Then they send me a an image that contained their ■■■■■ id and requested I ■■■■■ them. I have not responded…heres some screenshots

[vickiespencer]

According to Fiverr Terms of Service you may not have any contact with buyers outside of Fiverr. This includes the method the buyer proposed to you for discussing the project and emails. Do not edanger your account by breaking the TOS. Simply tell your client all communication must be on Fiverr.

[leahan]

According to Fiverr Terms of Service you may not have any contact with buyers outside of Fiverr. This includes the method the buyer proposed to you for discussing the project and emails. Do not edanger your account by breaking the TOS. Simply tell your client all communication must be on Fiverr.

hello as @vickiespencer said it , better not use other ways to communicate with your buyers, in the future if it happens you have issue with this buyer, it won’t be possible to solve it by the fiverr support. Be careful anyway.

[raul_designs]

hello as @vickiespencer said it , better not use other ways to communicate with your buyers, in the future if it happens you have issue with this buyer, it won’t be possible to solve it by the fiverr support. Be careful anyway.

Thanks for responding - I have no intention of doing business with them outside of Fiverr… Not sure I even want to engage in convo any further actually.

Would you recommend I report this buyer-is there a process to do so that you know of?

[leahan]

Thanks for responding - I have no intention of doing business with them outside of Fiverr… Not sure I even want to engage in convo any further actually.

Would you recommend I report this buyer-is there a process to do so that you know of?

if you feel like it’s not something you want to get into , since you’re not going to answer anymore , me I usually mark those king of convo as spam .I guess it’s the best thing to do.

[zeus777]

Thanks for responding - I have no intention of doing business with them outside of Fiverr… Not sure I even want to engage in convo any further actually.

Would you recommend I report this buyer-is there a process to do so that you know of?

You can use the report button. If you look on the right side of the buyer’s name you should be able to see it.

Once the window pops up, you can let Fiverr know that this buyer was trying to

contact you outside.

[raul_designs]

Thanks everyone! I decided to go ahead and educate the buyer that their suggested communication violates Fiverr TOS (giving them the benefit of the doubt), assuming that they were unaware.

[mariashtelle1]

Thanks everyone! I decided to go ahead and educate the buyer that their suggested communication violates Fiverr TOS (giving them the benefit of the doubt), assuming that they were unaware.

I’m sure they are very well aware of that.

If they wouldn’t have known about that they would’ve just sent you a message, but they went extra mile to create a picture with their pro pal to work outside of fiverr so the system wouldn’t catch trigger words.

On your place I would’ve just report them and wouldn’t risk at all mentioning any of the trigger words or trying educate them and risking your account.

[raul_designs]

I’m sure they are very well aware of that.

If they wouldn’t have known about that they would’ve just sent you a message, but they went extra mile to create a picture with their pro pal to work outside of fiverr so the system wouldn’t catch trigger words.

On your place I would’ve just report them and wouldn’t risk at all mentioning any of the trigger words or trying educate them and risking your account.

good point, I did report it. thanks @mariashtelle1

[pauladonis]

I have experienced it several times… Buyers would contact me and then suggest that we discuss the details on ■■■■■ before they order. Only one of them was lucky to escape suspension. I didn’t even have to mark their messages as spam or report them before they got suspended. Just make sure that you’re on the right side of Fiverr’s ToS and you’ll be fine.

[montaaz]

Hi, my name is montaaz, I am in Fiverr since 2015 I was active only for the past 6 months.

Today a buyer contacted me, and asked me to take a look in his job’s specifications, he sent a text file, I downloaded it and here what I found:

I told him I can’t do that, he kept telling me how much he will pay me. Basically, he wanted access to my computer via Teamviewer to work with my assuming-that-I-have UpWork account.

I threaten him to report but he said:

Can he really do something like that? I am really afraid if I lose my Fiverr account, I am working hard to maintain good work and ratio and I finally start making real money.

Can anyone help me, please? Thank you

[misscrystal]

Send all that to customer support. And after this just use the little report button when you get something like that text without having any discussion with him except to say “no”.

I get that same text file from someone about once a month for the past year. I have never responded to the guy.

Never have any discussion at all with this person. He constantly sends out this spam to lots of people, for months.

[maitasun]

Hi @montaaz,

First, please erase user’s name, it’s agaisnt forum rules. Thanks.

Second, please contact CS and report the buyer.

[montaaz]

Hi @montaaz,

First, please erase user’s name, it’s agaisnt forum rules. Thanks.

Second, please contact CS and report the buyer.

I am sorry I don’t know how

[ngtechandapps]

Hi @montaaz,

First, please erase user’s name, it’s agaisnt forum rules. Thanks.

Second, please contact CS and report the buyer.

I got a message from someone before from China(similar scam but different) asking me to buy them a computer and make them an UpWork account on it because they used to use VPN but got banned. They said they make less money because they are from China and want to use a computer here that I will buy them and teamviewer on it to use Upwork as a US person. They said they’d pay wifi, for the computer, and $400/month or something like that. Total scam. Don’t waste your time with these people. Report them to CS and don’t worry about them taking down your account.

[montaaz]

Send all that to customer support. And after this just use the little report button when you get something like that text without having any discussion with him except to say “no”.

I get that same text file from someone about once a month for the past year. I have never responded to the guy.

Never have any discussion at all with this person. He constantly sends out this spam to lots of people, for months.

What is the point of reporting or blocking if I keep getting messages from him, the last 5 messages he sent me are after I “blocked” him

[toddsdesigns]

Send all that to customer support. And after this just use the little report button when you get something like that text without having any discussion with him except to say “no”.

I get that same text file from someone about once a month for the past year. I have never responded to the guy.

Never have any discussion at all with this person. He constantly sends out this spam to lots of people, for months.

“No” definitely needs to be the word of the year it seems.

[maitasun]

I am sorry I don’t know how

I am sorry I don’t know how

It’s OK, then just delete the screenshots. To edit your post, click on the little pencil.

[misscrystal]

I wonder what exactly is wrong with that person, to keep doing that for so long. Surely no one would actually agree to give him access to their computer.

[thatwordchick]

I’ve learned the hard way not to take anything to [redacted: online videoconferencing service that rhymes with hype] now, or click on any Google docs links from a perspective buyer, because inevitably it’s going to be a plea to sell my account or set up a US-based account for them, whether it’s here on Fiverr or…elsewhere…on the web.

It’s really irritating to me as a seller trying to actually get gigs; every one of those messages required me to spend time on my computer or phone sussing out what the “buyer” needed. I completely sympathize that it may be difficult to sell writing services or get writing gigs in a home country, but the answer to that isn’t impersonating a fluent English speaker by co-opting a false account. Each one of these requests has had butchered English and is rife with typos. If you want to attract the kind of audience a native English speaker has access to, put in the work to do so. Buying a fake account doesn’t magically make you good at the language, and trust me - buyers will see RIGHT through it.