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Freelancer is a platform that connects businesses with freelancers for various projects and jobs. It offers a range of services, including web development, graphic design, writing, and more.
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The verification process was pretty simple for me. I was guided step by step during the interview so I didn't get confused. Even though I am not very fluent in English, Anaiah conducted the interview in such a smooth and friendly way that I didn't feel uncomfortable at all. She gave me enough time to speak and made her questions easy to understand, which helped me answer each one properly. She was helpful and explained things clearly. After completing everything, my badge got activated within 24 hours. Overall, it was a smooth experience and I didn't face any issues. Thank you so much, Anaiah, for everything.
I am writing this review to share a real experience and to ask important questions about freelancer protection on Freelancer.com.
I completed a project worth USD $1,050 and delivered all agreed work exactly as requested. The client reviewed the work, approved it, and released the milestone payments.
Before accepting the project, I carefully reviewed the client profile. Freelancer.com displayed the client as:
Identity Verified
Payment Verified
Deposit Made
Email Verified
Phone Verified
In addition, the client had completed previous projects and had positive reviews from other freelancers.
As a freelancer, I relied on these verification badges and trust indicators when deciding whether it was safe to proceed. I believed that if Freelancer.com displayed a client as verified and allowed funded milestones, the platform had already performed the necessary checks.
After the work was completed and the payments had been approved and released, I was informed that the client's account had been closed due to violations of Freelancer.com's Terms and Conditions and that the funds were being reversed.
The result was that I lost USD $1,050 despite:
Completing the work
Delivering the work
Receiving client approval
Receiving released milestone payments
Following platform procedures
What concerns me most is that I had absolutely no visibility into the client's payment source, fraud status, compliance review, internal risk assessment, or account investigation. Only Freelancer.com had access to that information.
If the platform later determines that a client's payment source is invalid, I respectfully question why the freelancer is expected to absorb 100% of the financial loss when the freelancer had no ability to detect or prevent the issue.
I also received repeated references to the Terms and Conditions and was offered 1,000 Freelancer credits as a goodwill gesture. However, credits cannot replace an actual financial loss of USD $1,050.
The central questions remain:
1. If a client is shown as Identity Verified, Payment Verified, Deposit Made, Email Verified, and Phone Verified, what protection do those trust indicators actually provide?
2. If freelancers cannot safely rely on those indicators, why are they prominently displayed as trust signals?
3. Why should a freelancer bear the entire financial loss when the issue originated from a client account and was not visible to the freelancer?
4. If approved and released milestone payments can later be reversed, what assurance exists that freelancers are operating in a safe and predictable marketplace?
5. What responsibility does the platform accept when freelancers rely on platform verification systems and make business decisions based on those representations?
My concern extends beyond my personal loss. If a verified client with completed project history, positive reviews, approved milestones, and released payments can still result in a freelancer losing earned income, then every freelancer on the platform should understand that risk.
I hope Freelancer.com will provide a clear public response addressing these concerns and explain what practical protections exist for honest freelancers who complete their work in good faith.
🚩 🚩
I encountered an account block at the stage of filling out my portfolio to provide proof of my work to potential clients, for which I received a permanent block. The fact that such a large company cannot block link validation at the initial stage of filling out the portfolio, not giving an opportunity to fix the situation, makes one wonder. I am an active developer with experience and education. https://kotfil.space. My attempts to rectify the situation were ignored by the administration.
I had a very smooth and professional experience with the Freelancer Verified team. Barry was very helpful and guided me throughout the verification process. The interview was professional, and the support team responded quickly to my concerns. I'm happy to be part of the Verified by Freelancer Program. Thank you for the great support.
Hello Muhamm, thank you for sharing your feedback about your smooth experience with our Freelancer Verified Team. Much appreciated!
Had a great experience with Freelancer.com, especially during the account verification process. Barry handled our
interview professionally and was very helpful throughout. The platform is reliable and the team genuinely cares about
quality. Recommended for any serious freelancer.
Thank you for the great feedback, Imtiaz! Glad that you had a smooth verification process with Barry's help. Your recommendation means a lot to us!
I have been using Freelancer.com since 2014 as a full-time freelancer, and it has been a great experience overall. It is a highly professional freelancing platform with real clients and genuine projects, which makes it reliable for long-term work.
One thing I truly appreciate is their support system — it is quick, responsive, and always ready to help whenever needed. This gives a strong sense of security while working on the platform.
Their terms and conditions are well-balanced for both employers and freelancers, creating a trustworthy environment where both parties can work with confidence.
Recently, I successfully completed my Verified Freelancer interview and earned the badge, which was a smooth and professional process. It further strengthened my trust in the platform.
Overall, Freelancer.com has played an important role in my freelancing journey, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a reliable and professional freelancing marketplace.
Hello Haider, thank you for being with us since 2014 and congratulations on earning your Verified Freelancer badge. Your feedback motivates us to keep delivering the best experience possible!
My interviewer, Barry, listened to my answers with expert ears, provided ample time to elaborate, and asked holistic genre staple questions begging robust and detailed answers
Hello Matthew, thank you so much for your thoughtful review of Barry's attentive approach and detailed interview. Your feedback means a lot to us, and we look forward to more great conversations in the future.
The overall experience was highly professional and well-organized. Barry maintained clear and timely communication throughout the process, which made everything smooth and easy to follow. His guidance was thoughtful and supportive, ensuring a comfortable and efficient experience from start to finish. I truly appreciate the level of professionalism and responsiveness demonstrated, and I would be glad to engage in future opportunities again.
Thanks so much for your wonderful feedback, Muhammad! It means a lot to us (and Barry), and we can’t wait to work with you again. Thanks for choosing Freelancer.com!
I was un aware about auto pay today i got withdrawal with my card then i rushed to the support of freelancer and i have got connected with Mr Drix and he figured my issue very calmly and solved my issue im greatful for his concern thanks to him and freelance
Hello Unnisa, glad to see that Drix stepped in quickly, calmly addressed your issue, and got everything sorted for you. Your gratitude means a lot to us, and we'll be sure to pass along your kind words to him and the entire team. Thanks for trusting Freelancer.com—you can count on us for any future support you need!
It was a real pleasure talk with Barry! A true professional with a great attitude! I would definitely recommend this platform!
Thanks for this review, Andrii. Your kind words and recommendation mean a lot to us, and we'll be sure to pass on your compliments to Barry. We're here whenever you need us, and we appreciate you choosing our platform. Thank you again!
I'm very satisfied with the service from the entire Freelancer.com team. They're always there to help.
I especially want to highlight Barry's excellent service.
Thank you for sharing your feedback, Ricardo! It's especially wonderful to know that Barry provided excellent service. Your kind words are truly appreciated, and we're here anytime you need us!
I had the pleasure of speaking with Berry during my verification process, and I must say he was truly outstanding.
Berry was highly professional, patient, and genuinely pleasant throughout our entire conversation. He explained everything clearly, answered all my questions without rushing, and made the whole process feel smooth and stress-free.
I am really grateful that I had the opportunity to talk with such a competent and kind professional. It's rare to encounter someone who combines professionalism with such a friendly attitude.
Thank you, Berry!
Hello Marko, it’s always our goal to ensure every interaction is as helpful and pleasant as possible, and we’re glad that Berry exceeded your expectations. We'll make sure to pass on your kind words to him. Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback!
I had an issue with an unintended membership renewal, and the support team handled it very professionally. They were polite, responsive, and clearly explained everything. My concern was reviewed quickly, and the issue was resolved smoothly.
I really appreciate the support team's effort and fast response. Overall, a great customer service experience.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Suraj! I'm glad our team handled your concern well. Your feedback means a lot to us, and we're delighted that our support made a positive impact. Thanks again for your kind words!
The support was very helpful, professional, and provided clear answers to my questions. Great experience!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your positive experience, Naseem! Glad to hear that our support team was able to provide clear answers and assist you professionally. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out to our Support Team anytime.
I had a really good experience talking to one of your agents. They guided me very well and gave me positive encouragement and hope that my work would get done. Their chat is very fast and they reply within a minute.
I had difficulty with upgrading my membership. My support assistant was great and really helpful.
The inteview process for the verfied by freelancer felt very nice. The questions seemed nice and understandable, it gave me a lot of opportunity to talk about my expertiese and encooperate my experiance with my knowledge.
It was also not time consuming.
I had a very smooth and positive experience with Freelancer.com. The platform makes it easy to understand project details and quickly connect with clients. The workflow is clear and efficient, especially when sending proposals and managing communication.
I also want to highlight the support — Barry was very professional, responsive, and helpful throughout the process. His communication was clear and made the experience even better.
Overall, a great platform for freelancers looking for consistent opportunities and a reliable working environment.
I recently completed the ID verification process on Freelancer.com and I'm genuinely impressed by how smooth and straightforward it was. As a freelancer looking for work, getting verified feels like a big milestone, and the platform made it hassle-free.
The verification steps were clear, the process was quick, and it gives both freelancers and clients the confidence they need to work together professionally. A verified profile really helps build trust and opens up better opportunities.
Overall, Freelancer.com has been a great experience. Highly recommend it to anyone looking to kickstart or grow their freelancing career
Answer: It is a PR platform that enables scammers to appear legitimate or verified. Freelancer doesn't care. They get a sizeable commission no matter if the posting is legitimate or not. Example: A fake ebook listing. Needs author to write 50000 words for US$ 2000. Unwitting freelancer bids and is 'awarded project' with message saying hurry up and accept. Once accepted, freelancer takes 'project fee' while you get tied up in their help callcenter trying to recoup not only the fee but potentially the fake employer gleaned from you using their platform. This site will be in the news soon. Trust me.
Answer: Hi Dejan. This happened to me in 2014, I lost a lot of money too, I withdrew the money on a Wednesday after the client had paid me $1000 in full. Then the next day, Thursday, I got a message that my withdrawal request was cancelled and the money reversed back to employer. My account was suspended and when I asked why, I was told that the employer looked like he was fraudulent and that the money might be fraud. Up to date, I am still bitter, angry and sad over that $1000 but I never got it back and Freelancer closed the person's account and that was that. So I hope this answers some of your questions and I am deeply sorry for your loss after such hard work. All the best
Answer: Freelancer.com focused on employer only, they just want as many employer and project as they can regardless of their country, verification status and deposits. However all the restriction is for employee. This is the reason Freelancer didn't stop them to post project without deposit. Almost 90% projects are fake (either posted by freelancer itself or fake/fraud employers). You have to be careful. Keep following things in mind will prevent you from fraud much. 1. Don't work for Employers from India/Bangladesh/Sri Lanka/Nigeria/Israel 2. Don't work for Employers whose name looks like Indian 3. Once the project is awarded to you, don't accept it unless the employer created initial milestone. Wait for at least 12 hours after milestone creation then accept it. 4. Ask for release step by step, don't work on next milestone unless previous is not released 5. Withdraw money from freelancer as fast as you can.
Answer: You can't say its fake but at the same time you can't just trust it fully. My point here is: people do get things done for the price but when it comes to money/payment, you can not trust freelancer. Sometimes it gets reversed from your account and you won't even get a satisfactory reason for it. I suffered a loss of 900 USD. All I get to hear that employer had some account issues and we can not disclose this any further. If you looking to work as a freelancer, go odesk or upwork and any other site first and then freelancer.com. Small incident: I worked for a client, designed the logo got the parent for it. Next day when looged in, my account showed negative balance ( payment reversed). Support: employer have acc. Issues Client: never came back or responded to any mails. Result: I worked and still in debt.
Answer: Dispute it with PayPal! Another beautiful example of why everyone hates Freelancer.
Answer: Freelancer is scam. I have very bad experience recently. "The payments you've received from your employer "-----------" were reversed due to their account issues. As a result, their account was closed" Lost over 800$. Freelancer also keep the fee for this job! Their support never answer. SCAM
Answer: Agree, do not use credit card details - freelancer is a terrible organisation when it comes to finances - they just debit your card at will, no warning, no opportunity to review the transaction, no notification of the charge - you just find out once you get your bank statement. Be very, very wary of this company - not saying their dodgy, BUT they are very devious when it comes to transactions. I think their motto is - "debit any time, just don't tell them and they wont complain"
Answer: Contact Paypal and file a dispute. I got a refund for the monthly amount that they should not have charged me for.
Answer: Good afternoon Rostyslav, unfortunately this has happened to most users of Freelancer including people who have been awarded projects. Ensure that you do not start any work or event accept a project until the following criteria have been met: 1. Project awarded 2. Initial milestone/deposit created 3. Client agrees to release the first payment immediately after you accepting the project. If they are unable to do this, tell then politely that you are unwilling to start on the project and keep looking for honest, legitimate clients. Be careful at all time on this website, even if you do vey thing by the book and the client still doesn't pay, the Freelancer support team will not help you. It is left to you to contact the client and chase the payment even of they delete their account.
Answer: Don't share you card. Use Paypal. First of all don't use freelancer they are scammers.
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