Freelancer.com
reviews and complaints

So I like many many many people have been scammed by freelancer.com

I got so angry I set up a petition to nasa for them to boycott freelancer.com.

Https://www.change.org/p/nasa-tell-nasa-to-boycott-freelancer-com

I am hoping that enough people sign this, nasa will get the message and then so will matt "scamming" barrie the ceo of freelancer.com

I have moved my 3 clients to freelancer after closing elance.com, first two months I faced problems but resolved, and now I am unable to withdraw my money from the freelancer account, see how they are doing fraud now:
On my first withdrawal request, they accepted the withdrawal request for paypal but unknowingly they hold money untill last date of withdrawal passed, I went to their support, and they told me due to security reasons you cannot withdraw it we are in contact of your client once they reply us we will clear it, I requested to my client please spend some time contacting them for me so I can get paid. And he did this for me then freelancer.com said it is clear now, you can withdraw.
Then I went for second request after first 7 days hold, and when date arrive for withdrawal I got notification from freelancer.com that paypla rejected your request, so money stand still in your freelancer.com. I contacted their support what is the problem they replied contact paypal, they don't know why rejected. I am sure there is no reason paypal denied to accept money and yes freelancer are eating this money. Then I asked their support to tell me is there any other way I can get this money instantly, they said yes, withdraw with payoneer card, so this is my third attempt to withdraw in 10 days.
When I requested withdrawal on payoneer instead of instant it made it 3 further days to get this money to my account, now I am sure I will not get paid my money from them as they are making it harder and harder even voilating their terms of instant for payoneer debit card they have given more 3 days time.
upwork is expensive but I never ever face such problems like facing here on freelancer.com it was my biggest error working online going through them. I should not have done this foolish thing. Now I will wait for next three days to make it possible for me get money then I will close freelancer.com account forver

I made an account on www.freelancer.com because I really needed to find a job online. I was injured in an accident and was not able to get back to my old working place. I was so happy when I found this website because it seemed like a great opportunity to earn money by working at home.
So I was contacted by a person who offered me a job. He was a small business owner and wanted me to create a webpage for him. I agreed and we discussed every detail including the payment. He said I'll get the money after I finish the job.
I worked hard on the project and it took me about a month to finish it.
After the work was done he said I'll get my money in few days. Unfortunately I never got anything! When I understood that I was scammed from the very beginning I contacted Freelancer customer service and reported the person who scammed me. They pretended they did something but in the end they said I need to contact the person directly and deal with the situation on my own!
These people refused to help me! This site is terrible! Please do not waste your time here!

Hi made a deal with a freelancer on Freelancer.com for a project that was going to cost around 11k. As we got closer to end of completion I funded the milestones, but did not release them. When I got a test app, it was a awful. I freaked out and disputed it with American Express. I then saw I could go into arbitration, which I did. I won back 10k of the 11k. However because the disputes were with my credit card, Freelancer was fighting to hold the funds. Which is bs. They wouldn't release my money. They told me I would have to cancel the disputes and send them proof to get my money back. After I had done so, they refused my requests to release the funds. They said Amex reserves the right to hold the funds, for 60 days. I checked with Amex, and they had delayed some of the funds, but had released 5100 and were going to release another 6100. So that I could then pull the money back out. In my freelancer account, they put $1000 into my account which they refused to unlock, then they froze 8k worth of funds. The freelancer refused to put money into his account, so I would not get the other 1000. I explained to them to check with their credit card processor, and they said at first Amex reserves the right to hold the money, then they said our credit card processor has the right to hold the money for 60 days. This is frustrating, since they said they can't check the status of the funds. It makes no sense since the money has been released. Yet they repeat the same thing, saying respect our 60 day policy. This is ###, as no one else does this. American Express told me to tell them to call Merchant Services... They respond respect our 60 day time window, three of them are 52 days, and the fourth one is 82 days. Seriously wtf, Freelancer has the worst credit card processor. They are holding 10k of my money. I asked them why don't they release the 1000 in the account that is available? Nope they make the account only deposit in, no withdrawals. I have tried reasoning with them, but they do not do anything just copy and paste the same message. Seriously what reputable business uses WorldPay, why not use a normal credit card processor. They are screwing me, and delaying my funds. I wonder if they will even release my money.

Fortunately my problem is not as severe as other complaints with this company. Using Freelancer it was obvious that they illegally charge my account several times without reason or description.

I closed the account a month ago, and today they charged me $31 without explanation.

All you can do is send a online message and complain to the bank.

6 persons from our group opened 6 different accounts in Freelancer.com and were each working with their own skill and expertise. Suddenly Freelancer came along and said that all of these 6 accounts belong to the same person, and asked for identity verification. We started sending our ID docs, but then they said that we only have the option of closing 5 accounts and keeping one. We had over $2000 in these accounts. They did not accept any explanation, nor did they provide any explanation and just said "we have reason to believe that all 6 accounts belong to the same person". Finally we were forced to close 5 accounts and only keep one, because they started suspending all of our accounts. Even after that, they don't open even that one account and have effectively stolen over $2000 of our money. They don't reply to any email, nor would they chat with me.

I work with freelancer for many years and I know that they are always greedy and also sometimes ###ed but this new experience really makes me give a good thought about renouncing working through them.

I've taken a 750$ project last week from a US client. immediately Freelancer's greediness kicked into my bank account and charged the 10% commission fee. The client released a 200$ milestone which I have in my freelancer account ...

I have made a withdrawal to paypal but surprisingly after 2 days ... freelancer tells me they cannot send the funds as the client is not yet verified. But they had no problems charging my account etc ... Anyway, the client sent them copy of passport and whatever [censored] they asked for ... freelancer replied they want proof he is currently in Thailand, Thailand Visa and passport page with the Thailand entry stamp :-| ###ed stuff to ask but the client sent them those as well. Now, after a week I still cannot withdraw my funds as freelancer didnt have time to check the documents sent by the client ... Meanwhile my freelancer membership was OK charged from the PROBLEM funds :) it seems the funds have problems if I want them and not if freelancer has some use for it.

I have made an ACCC complaint and will continue complaining to all relevant Australian and International Agencies that could help them get on the right path of a lesser degree of greediness and stupidity ...

All the best!

Once again today my project payments (1090 usd) are locked by their support stating that buyer who had paid you is not verified. I had worked for more than a month and what i have earned is just waste of time, energy and zero penny.

Just few weeks ago freelancer.com reversed all the payments done in one more project stating that buyer has complained.
Around 1 year ago these people reversed almost 2500 usd.

In all i have lost more than 5000 usd on this website and also lost lot of time and energy.

I am left with no choice other than going to cyber law and i am filing case against them for doing fraud against me. They had stolen more than 5000 usd from me. Completely biased and biggest fraud.
If you are a current user please try to switch to some other website.

Don't waste your time and energy there. They are cheaters.

Really tired and disappointed with this website, they had steal more than $5000 till now from me just by these cheap policies.

My account was charged $60 ($11 of which was taken from my freelancer account and the remaining amount from my PayPal) with no confirmation or anything. As soon as I hit "accept project" the fees were deducted. I wasn't given any sort of heads up about the project fee or anything. Then, Freelancer decides it's a good idea to cancel this user's account before any of his employers gets refunded their project fees. So Freelancer stole $60 from me. I've contacted their support team and they did refund me $60, BUT it's only to be used on their website (so for fees only). Not extremely helpful. If they want to keep a customer they should give me a refund and improve their website.

Recently I got work on freelancer.com once I accept project freelancer charge 22 USD for acdepting project.
Client discussed project with me and get agreed for 50 upfront and two milestone and I accept project because client was created milestone of 50 USD as discussed for 50 upfront. Once I accept project Client didn't release upfront money. I had worked after accepting project after awarding and creating milestone by client without upfront release because client was from USA and I belongs to India so it's was too early in India.

I gave demo link to client and request to release upfront but client didn't do and they gave feedback on my work and he request to some modification I did according to that.

After doing all client file dispute on freelancer without releasing any money and without saying anything to me. I request from client to tell what's issue he have is they have any issue with my work but he didn't say any thing. and he mention he have to go out of station and he do not need of work. I respond on freelancer and I request we can continue once he come back but he didn't say any thing about this by mentioning he don't want to complete this project.

Then I request client to release payment because I had already paid to freelance free of 22 USD and did 80% of work as client want but client proceed to arbitration stage on freelancer still I was requesting them I will make this work completed once he come back but they didn't respond then I also proceed to arbitration and pay 5 USD to freelancer for this. In the mean while one of my demo server hacked by some one and they change index file on my demo site which I were giving to client I don't know how that get hacked because there was many WordPress site hosted Now Clinet respond that he don't want to get this complete because my demo server hacked.
I explain all thing why server hacked that was many un tested plugin and wordpress site he agree with that and told me he will be back later in freelancer chat but he didn't come back to discuss and goes to freelancer dispute page and mention he don't want to complete because my server get hacked .

Now after 48 hours freelancer mention that milestone will be refunded to client.
this is freelancer dispute team comment
I. 100% of the Milestone Payment has been returned to “richmail21” for the following reasons:

A. Based on the project description, the seller is expected to create a social media website for the buyer. The buyer eventually requested for the cancellation of the pending Milestone Payment stating that the project is to be postponed. However, the seller disagree with this claiming that they've already worked on the project.

Now I would like to know from you all, is this right ? what will be security of our work that we do for client client make work and go without giving money if client don't want any project get done he must pay compensation if client or buyer disagree to give compensation for employee/ seller work then freeancer.com must release milestone in favor of employee/ seller

this is client please be aware of this fraud employer on freelancer
He will only use for their mean
https://www.freelancer.com/u/richmail21.html

Hi sir,

I am a programer working on freelancer from last 1.5 year. On 26th May, 2016, two unknown contests are posted on my account which took whole of my earned amount that I earned from working on different projects. Almost, 271 USD and 9GBP were on my freelancer account. They took almost 252USD amount on two contests that I haven't posted at all. I haven't post any of these contests. I don't know what is the fault on freelancer.com.

Now my account is blocked. I can't access my account anymore. And two projects are under development and I don't know what will happen to these two projects because I can't contact to my customer. These two projects are almost complete. Now from last two days my account is blocked. I can not work on these two projects. And milestones that are supposed to be released in next two days were all gone. Because, I am unable to access the message board. I don't know what to do. Freelancer.com is not activating my account and I am on middle and can do anything about this.

Almost one month ago, they took 50USD amount as reversal amount for a project. The project was ended several months ago. But they said amount is reversed because there was an issue on my customer account. I tried to contact the support but nothing is worked. And payment was gone.

Kindly, help me.

Thanks,

Qalb-e-Abbas

Freelancer.com is a scam
=

I am tawhidur rahman dear. I was working as a freelancer web developer in freelancer.com but suddenly they closed my account keeping 12 usd there. they never specify actually which clause of terms and conditions imposed to me, and actually what I did. not only that before taking this of type action, administration did not contact with me that I can clarify my position.

I opened a ticket to inform them that I can't access my account. they replied on 4 december 2015:

"hi tawhidur,
Thank you for contacting freelancer.com support.
We regret to inform you that your account has been closed by freelancer.com administration. we offer no recourse or rebuttal for this penalty.
As noted in our terms and conditions, freelancer.com reserves the right to terminate users for creating problems, falsifying freelancer's own or any other identity, legal liabilities (actual or potential), infringing someone else's intellectual property rights, engaging in fraudulent, immoral or illegal activities, or for other similar reasons.

To view our terms and conditions, please visit:
Http://www.freelancer.com/page.php?p=info/terms.

Let us know if there is anything else we can help you with.
Kind regards,
Kathie r
Freelancer.com support

Ticket details
Ticket id: fvz-[protected]
Status: in progress
Customer support hq: https://www.freelancer.com/support"

Then I asked to know more actually which clause of terms and conditions imposed to me, and actually what I did. then edward d. of support team replied after 12 days to inform me that they sent my ticket to tier-2. on 21 december 2015, I received this email:

"hello,
Thanks you for emailing us back with regard to the closure of your account. my name is frank from tier 2.
I checked your account and I can confirm that it was closed due to security reasons. please be informed that we won't be able to provide further details as to why we decided to close your account. if we are to disclose further information, it may lead our users to get around with our security.
Although we understand that you want to continue using the site, i'm sorry to inform you that the account can no longer be reopened again.
I trust I have clarified our position regarding this matter.
—
Regards,
Frank c.
Freelancer.com support"

They told me that they clarified their position. huh!

(for screenshots - https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0b-20uxmfcwcazw90yvfdt3jbvnm&usp=sharing)

I did some work for a client. The work was too install and configure Django with OpenedX with ecommerce. I bid for $150 and got awarded the project. The client paid me in full amount and also appreciated my work with good reviews and ratings. Although when i initiated a withdraw request the next day i received an error saying "Reversals of payment".
I asked support why was my payment reversed and they replied that "my employer is having an issue with his account and until they clear this issue, I can't be paid" They continuously said just one thing that my client is having account issue and asked me to contact him to resolve his issues.
I did all my work with honesty and hard work and after 2 nights of waking up and working my money was reversed.
Whose job it was to verify the employer, who took money from my account in advance. it was Freelancer.com's job to verify users before letting them post project onto the site.
They robbed me again and again and again for more than $1000 and all i could do was "nothing".
Don't ever work on freelancer. Just don't do it.

I wanted to complain about the company where it is charging me for domain name and hosting and ingratiation. The person was asking for my home address and where i am staying where they should not be asking that. I want as refund of 30 pounds of what i have made today. the is the person said rather than please let me know the domain and hosting and we will upload their because only knowledge with data base and hosting can do it. I had asked if you are going to be putting the domain name and hosting. the person said that they can purchase it and they said that they can provide the hosting and they did not mention to me that is chargeable. I wanted to ask for refund on my money as soon as possible.

Dear All,

I am a employee and my account in freelancer.com is "thekeshri" . I got awarded one projects in freelancer.com on 25th March 2016 for $150 by employer "businessworld3" . I finished the job and employer paid me $150 and $5 as bonus. Employer also given me good feedback for project completion on time.

Now 1 month later freelancer.com reversed the $155 and my account has -155 USD. When I asked to freelancer.com, they said my employer did some fraud. When i asked my employer did fraud so why you taking amount from my account. Then freelancer.com never replied.

So simple thing is that freelancer.com is cheating amount from employees account those work hard to earn money.

I request to Indian Cyber Crime and US Cyber crime to look this issue and Ban this website in India . Because without any reason freelancer.com is taking money of employees.

Thanks
TheKeshri

Hello,

I was bid on a first project of today I was seen one more check box below price its about to send a message to client from freelancer to highlight your bid and its tagged with free so it means if I use that I dont have to pay anything its free but when I click on submit it charged me bid highlight price and deduct it from my account.

So its a trick to get money from users by manipulate the users to show free tag and after submit it deducts a money what a service!

And its not a first time for me one more time in the past same situation I have faced when I take a skills test in front of test it show me free tag but when I click on it and take exam it will deduct my money and after that freelancer.com accept his mistake and refund my money but guys this is too much now we cant trust freelancer services anymore!

Its totally fraud service

CASE1: I had a project on freelancer.com. I was paid $100 by client. After three months of job completion they took money out of my account and said that client's payment method was not verified.
They said that they are sending proof to paypal for the job I have done. After 2 months freelancer support never responded when I asked them they said that their request was denied by paypal. I asked them for the proof and the screenshots of paypal's reply they never responded regarding this.

CASE2: I had another job of $179 with another employer. I was paid and when I tried to withdraw amount freelancer.com said that I wasn't allowed to do that because client's payment method is not verified.

My questions to support were:-
1. Why don't they first verify payment method properly. If payment method or profile is not verified, why they are allowed to hire?
2. Why do freelancer.com charges money if they don't guarantee anything?
3. Why don't they take immediate action and take our money after months of job completion?

Obviously no reply from freelancer.com

In my opinion freelancer.com is more focused on making money than making reputation.

I was hired by a guy who wanted me to make a website for him. I checked his profile and he had many good reviews. He also promised me a good payment. I agreed and started working on a project. I wasted over a month and when the job was done it looked really amazing and I was proud of myself. I gave him all the necessary information and access to the site. After he got everything he just disappeared and I did not receive the money and he stopped answering my messages and calls. Contacted Freelancer support and there was no response from them either. Well, I wasted a lot of time on that project, but as a creator I still had my own access, so I went online, changed passwords and stuff so my employer had no more access to it. Life's not that easy, I hope he learned his lesson.

Hello.. Freelancer.com is a fraud company... They are a big cheaters... I registered in freelancer.com as an employee.. I got a project of worth 1500Euros.. I completed it and my client paid me.. but after a month I saw my amount had been reversed.. I see -1500EUros in my freelancer wallet... and they also suspended my account... I managed that balance from my pocket... but again i see now freelancer reversed my 200 Euros... They are really a big fraud... Please accpet my complaint again them and take a quick action.. I want my all money back...
really freelancer.com is a big f***er... please please dont trust them... dont business with them..

I was a user of Freelancer for a very long time, and have many good reviews on my profile. But suddenly five days ago my Freelancer account was closed for no reason! I tried to contact customer service many times and received no answer. I have no idea why they did this and the only thing I can do is to make another account. I'm extremely disappointed!