Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Upwork's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Upwork

  475 Brannan St Ste 430 San Francisco, CA 94107-5421

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  Upwork, Inc

  441 Logue Ave #150 Mountain View, CA 94043-4018

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/17/2025

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I was responding to a lead for a potential job that arrived in my inbox on the website Upwork. After numerous attempts to send my reply, their system insisted that I was in violation of their terms of service for quote "providing contact information" as part of my message content. I never provided contact information in my message(s), I even resorted to editing my message for any potential trigger words, and that didn't yield any success. I was in contact with their support team and I was given false information such as my case being reviewed and finding that indeed my messages did NOT violate terms of service, but they falsely stated that any limits placed on my account for these false violations had been lifted, that was not the truth. I provided screen shots and further context to try and resolve the blatant negligence on behalf of Upwork's system or lack thereof, however answers, and solutions as of this hour 15:02 PST on 2025-05-17 continue to remain elusive. I may have missed an opportunity to get work during a time when I am unemployed and unable to work a regular job due to an injury, so this was supposed to be a lifeline to me, a lifeline I couldn't even take hold of because of arbitrary limitations placed fourth upon a policy abiding user. I have provided the *** files containing both the entire exchange between their support team and myself, as well as the messages between myself and the job lead showing clear proof of my innocuous messages being denied to be sent all in chronological order.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/19/2025

  We're sorry to hear this customer wasn't satisfied with their experience and appreciate the opportunity to help. 
  
  We have many security measures in place as part of our commitment to maintaining the safety and integrity of our site. When clients or freelancers sign up to use the Upwork platform, they agree to Upworks Terms of Service. 
  
  We've thoroughly reviewed this customers account and are in contact with the customer directly. We will continue to support them should they have additional questions. 
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/19/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/08/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My livelihood is derived from completing IT development projects with the help of the freelancers that I hire on UpWork. I have never broken any of their rules. I strictly maintain communication on the platform. There is no reason for me to be suspended. I was suddenly suspended on Monday 5 May 2025. No reason was given. After a day of trying to contact someone, I got an email stating that I needed to verify myself. I did that obligingly. Then a day later I was asked to confirm that I posted a certain project and to give details. I did that, all in the hope that I could be permitted back into my account as I was losing income. I had already lost a contract due to the suspension. I was in the process of signing it off when they abruptly suspended me, still with no reason. Its now day 4 and after numerous follow *** I have heard nothing back from them. They are playing with peoples livelihoods and they should be recognising and respecting this. They have now gone quiet on me and my projects have come to a halt with angry clients breathing down my back. Zero further communication from UpWork. I need this issue resolved immediately!! Please!!

  Business Response

  Date: 05/12/2025

  We're sorry to hear this customer wasn't satisfied with their experience and appreciate the opportunity to help. 
  We have many security measures in place as part of our commitment to maintaining the safety and integrity of our site. When clients or freelancers sign up to use the Upwork platform, they agree to Upworks Terms of Service.
  We've thoroughly reviewed this customers account and are in contact with the customer directly. We will continue to support them should they have additional questions. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/06/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Am a freelancer on Upwork. On 20th April 2025, I received an email from Upwork that my account had logged in from an OFAC sanctioned location. At that time it was around 4am EAT and was still sleeping. Am not sure what exactly happened. Since April 20th 2025, I have been following up with Upwork support and not a single response from anyone. My two contracts were cancelled.I have tried to attach my IP address to show that am not logging in from an **** sanctioned location but no one has responded to date.The silence from the team for more than 20 days is not a good thing considering my livelihood depends on the platform. Please help.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/06/2025

  We're sorry to hear this customer wasn't satisfied with their experience and appreciate the opportunity to help. 
  We have many security measures in place as part of our commitment to maintaining the safety and integrity of our site. When clients or freelancers sign up to use the Upwork platform, they agree to Upworks Terms of Service. 
  We've thoroughly reviewed this customers account and are in contact with the customer directly. We will continue to support them should they have additional questions.
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/09/2025

   
  Complaint: 23292318
  
  I am rejecting this response because: While Upwork support did respond to my complaint. They mentioned they still were unable to view my location. I responded back the same day after having done as they had directed. That was on May 6th 2025 but no one has gotten back to me again. The response times are very slow and that's an area as a business that they could focus on improving.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** Nyasae

  Business Response

  Date: 05/09/2025

  We appreciate the opportunity to respond and understand that this has been an important matter for the customer. The details of their account status have been shared with them directly, and we have no further updates at this time. We consider this case closed but remain available should they need assistance through the appropriate support channels.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/10/2025

   
  Complaint: 23292318
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Upwork support did respond but the issue is still not resolved conclusively. An action was required from my end which I did as they had requested but they haven't responded 4 days later.

  An area of improvement for Upwork is on response times to their customers. Thanks.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** Nyasae

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/05/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Company closed by account because the software wasn't allowing me to pay the person via Upwork. I did not intend to do this without permission. In the end I figured a way to pay them via Upwork - nothing against the rules was done

  Business Response

  Date: 05/06/2025

  We're sorry to hear this customer wasn't satisfied with their experience and appreciate the opportunity to help. 
  We have many security measures in place as part of our commitment to maintaining the safety and integrity of our site. When clients or freelancers sign up to use the Upwork platform, they agree to Upworks Terms of Service. 
  We've thoroughly reviewed this customers account and determined our position stands based on Upworks Terms of Service. Please see our Terms of Service, available on the Upwork website for more information.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/04/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My Upwork account has been suspended since April 6, 2025 after I briefly accessed it during an urgent family visit to *****. I was unaware that logging in from that region could trigger a suspension, and I immediately submitted a suspension appeal along with proof of departure (a valid flight ticket showing I left ***** and returned to ************).Despite multiple follow-ups through:- Upwork's ticket system (Ticket numbers: #******** and #********),- ******************** platforms (LinkedIn and X/*******),-And even asking my client of 4 years to contact support on my behalf,I have received no meaningful response. The only replies I get are automated responses with links to *********** articles.I am deeply concerned that this unjust suspension may cause me to lose my long-term client contract, damage my professional reputation, and result in financial harm. Ive worked with Upwork for years with a solid record and excellent reviews.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/05/2025

  We're sorry to hear this customer wasn't satisfied with their experience and appreciate the opportunity to help. 
  We have many security measures in place as part of our commitment to maintaining the safety and integrity of our site. When clients or freelancers sign up to use the Upwork platform, they agree to Upworks Terms of Service. 
  We've thoroughly reviewed this customers account and are in contact with the customer directly. We will continue to support them should they have additional questions.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/06/2025

   
  Complaint: 23284781
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  I received a response to my suspension ticket. The representative stated that they are unable to verify my location. However, I want to confirm that I am not using any VPN or location-masking software. I have already provided my flight ticket and boarding pass as proof that I have left the sanctioned country , and I am fully prepared to submit any additional information needed to help resolve the suspension of my account as soon as possible.
  I am also providing additional proof from the same PC I use to log in to the Upwork app, showing that I am currently located in *************
  Sincerely,
  
  
  Muhammet Halit Vehbi

  Business Response

  Date: 05/08/2025

  We appreciate the opportunity to respond and understand that this has been an important matter for the customer. The details of their account status have been shared with them directly, and we have no further updates at this time. We consider this case closed but remain available should they need assistance through the appropriate support channels.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/08/2025

  I would like to respectfully state that I do not accept Upworks response, as it does not adequately address the issue nor offer any meaningful resolution. As I mentioned previously, my account has been suspended for over a month without clear explanation or effective support, despite my repeated attempts to provide all requested documentation and reach out through the official support channels.
  
  Upworks claim that "the details have been shared" is vague and does not reflect the actual experience I have hadnamely, a complete lack of transparency, clarity, and actionable assistance. The issue remains unresolved, and the prolonged suspension continues to cause significant harm to my professional life.
  
  Therefore, I kindly request that this case remain open and urge BBB to continue monitoring it until Upwork provides a substantive and fair resolution.
  Sincerely,
  
  Muhammet Halit Vehbi

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/01/2025

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I contracted a web developer on Upwork. I believe this developer has fake reviews and an inflated score, now that I've worked with him. However, I contracted him to do a job that he estimated would take 5-10 hours at $28/hour so I budgeted around $300 for the project with the potential for overage. He claimed he had deep experience with the program I was using and it woudl be a fast turnaround for him to do the job. This turned out to be a lie. This developer took months to provide any deliverables while continuing to bill me an hour here and there. I now realize it was a scam because Upwork has a policy that charges must be disputed within two weeks of the work being done. But when you're working on a long term project with a developer who keeps giving excuses about illness, and hurricanes, and running marathons, and you believe they'll ultimately finish the project, you're left unable to dispute charges since the project is ongoing. Multiple times I threatened the developer that I would have to pause the contract and he was going way over budget if he didn't provide what I was asking for, but he'd tell me don't worry, i'll have an update and then every two weeks would reply. Again, I now realize the two week delay on replying was a scam to prevent me from pursuing mediation about the total amounts being paid out to him. I have documentation across the months starting in September through now showing all the excuses and my pointint out that his work wasn't complete, hadn't been done properly and was generally unsatisfactory. I am now left with a bill of 1100 that was supposed to be 300 at the start. I'm now asing for a partial refund of 750. I also do not have a finishe porject and now have to find someone else to do it, pay twice, and i'm nearly 8 months delayed on something he swore he could do in ten days in September.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/04/2025

  We're sorry to hear this customer wasn't satisfied with their experience and appreciate the opportunity to help. 
  Upworks work marketplace is where companies can find independent talent to grow their businesses, and independent talent can find work to grow their careers. We designed it to help clients and talent build strong working relationships so that over time, companies can scale on demand with a trusted talent bench and talent can secure fulfilling, consistent work.
  We emphasize in our User Agreement that ********************** is a venue for buyers and sellers of services to directly connect, that Upwork doesn't supervise, control, or endorse Freelancers, that Upwork is not responsible for Freelancers or their work, and that Clients are responsible for selecting and vetting their own workers
  We offer multiple dispute options based on the type of contract used by freelancers and clients. For more information regarding the dispute process visit our Support page on the Upwork website.
  We are in contact with the customer directly and will continue to support them should they have additional questions. The customer can also request assistance via the Support page on the Upwork website or by directly replying to our email. We will be happy to assist.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/05/2025

   
  Complaint: 23275573
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The company has set up an unfair system that prevents me from finding financial recourse through their platform.

  Becuase their vendor, whom they allow to operate on their site, repeatedly delayed responses to my inquires by weeks at a time, I kept missing the very short 2 week window to dispute charges.

  Additionally, because this project was ongoing, and I was being lied to by the vendor about the progress, I wanted to believe it would eventually be completed. This naturally discourages raising complaints mid-project when you're trying to demonstrate trust and good faith in the vendor. The vendor -- and the platform -- created an unfair system for challenging poor work. I asked for deliverables, scope, and timeline multiple times but the vendor repeatedly disappeared for two weeks at a time forcing me to forfeit opportunities for complaining. Additionally, the vendor had access to my website, and out of fear of retribution -- damaging my site because I raised complaints to Upwork -- I decided to "believe" he would eventaully follow through on the work. He did not, he didn't do it competetenly, and he stalled my project, costing me thousands in potential business, for months. He orignally estimated 10 hours max at 28xhour (more than his listed rate) and ultimately slow drip billed me upwards of 1100. Clearly when you're on a project with a vendor, you can't fight every 15 dollars here, 10 dollars there, 40 dollars there. And by the time I recognized I was being scammed and put a stop order on our contract, I was past the point of being able to fight the charges with Upwork's grossly unfair policy. I asked the vendor for a refund and he hasn't, as usual, responded. He's running a scam on their platform and they enable it by having such a narrow window to fight charges. I do not accept their response and will continue to pursue a partial refund commensurate with the unfinished work. The company did reach out to me but did not offer any recourse or compensation or offer to mediate with the vendor. They're relying on me walking away from this fight as a small business owner rather than stepping in, reviewing the documents, and acknowledging that their vendor operated in bad faith. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ******

  Business Response

  Date: 05/06/2025

  We appreciate the opportunity to respond and understand that this has been an important matter for the customer. The details of their account status have been shared with them directly, and we have no further updates at this time. We consider this case closed, but remain available should they need assistance through the appropriate support channels.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/06/2025

   
  Complaint: 23275573
  
  I am rejecting this response because the company refuses to take responsibility for its unfair business practices, which include the inability to contest charges made during a long-term project I made in good faith with a vendor on their site. I'm requesting a partial refund. Despite claiming they've shared information about my account with me directly, the company is only stating that they refuse to do anything to resolve this matter, including investigating the vendor that's abusing their platform with delay tactics. I continue to demand a partial refund for the work the vendor overcharged and didn't complete, and I also want a refund for the 10% Upwork charged me for the vendor's charges. This is not a reputable way to do business. I'm a small independent company with a limited budget for a project that was abused by both Upwork due to their limited dispute policies and the vendor. I do not accept their response.
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/29/2025

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am filing this complaint because Upwork reversed my legitimately earned payment of $494 from an hourly contract (Contract ID#: ********* with a client named **** ********.Upwork claimed the reversal reason was "PP Abuse" without providing me a clear and fair explanation. I worked honestly, logged my hours properly, and followed Upworks terms of service and rules for hourly ************* Upwork refuses to cover my earnings under the Hourly Payment Protection, even though I fully complied with all requirements active work diary, meaningful work, and timely updates.Additionally, instead of supporting me as a freelancer who completed work in good faith, Upwork has shifted all the blame onto me while the client has disappeared.This is unfair, unethical, and financially harmful to me. I depend on these earnings for my livelihood. I have already tried contacting Upwork Support multiple times, but received copy-paste replies without a real investigation.If Upwork does not resolve this issue by releasing my rightful earnings, I will escalate my concerns further through social media, business review platforms, and legal options, warning others about Upworks mistreatment of freelancers.I request BBBs assistance to help me recover my $494 and to ensure Upwork changes its practices to protect freelancers in good standing.Thank you.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/01/2025

  We're sorry to hear this customer wasn't satisfied with their experience and appreciate the opportunity to help. 
  As noted in our User Agreement, ********************** provides a payment guarantee for all hourly contracts. Only qualifying hours are protected. For more details regarding the payment guarantee, please visit our Support page on the Upwork website. 
  We've thoroughly reviewed this customers account and determined our position stands based on Upworks Terms of Service. Please see our Terms of Service, available on the Upwork website for more information.
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/02/2025

   
  Complaint: 23262738
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *****

   

  I'm providing the proo

  Business Response

  Date: 05/04/2025

  We appreciate the opportunity to respond and understand that this has been an important matter for the customer. The details of their account status have been shared with them directly, and we have no further updates at this time. We consider this case closed, but remain available should they need assistance through the appropriate support channels.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/27/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have been a member of Upwork since 2019, operating as both a freelancer and a client. Over the years, I have earned over $1.2 million on the platform and spent nearly $500,000 hiring other freelancers for my businesses. On April 9, 2025, I received a sudden notice that my freelancer account was permanently suspended due to an alleged identity verification issue. I was never contacted to submit any documents or given an opportunity to respond. Attempts to clarify the issue were met with only templated responses stating the decision was final, with no explanation of what Terms of Service were allegedly violated.Shortly after, my client account was also suspended following a similar identity verification prompt. Again, no opportunity was given to submit documents before deactivation. This second account manages over $150,000 annually in freelancer contracts, many of whom now cannot be compensated.The suspensions appear to be the result of a serious administrative error, but Upwork has refused to provide any meaningful review or explanation. All inquiries have been routed to offshore ************** agents who are unable to offer any clarity. Despite years of building a spotless record, positive reviews, and contributing significant revenue to Upwork, I was permanently removed without due process. My attempts to reach out to leadership have gone unanswered through several different channels.This has caused severe business disruption, reputational damage, and financial harm not only to me but to my contracted freelancers. I have exhausted internal channels without success. I have also lost access to tax information.Desired resolution: I am requesting reinstatement of both my freelancer and client accounts following a full manual review by a qualified Upwork decision-maker. Alternatively, I request a formal written explanation citing the exact Terms of Service allegedly violated, with supporting evidence, so I may evaluate further legal or arbitration remedies.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/29/2025

  We're sorry to hear this customer wasn't satisfied with their experience and appreciate the opportunity to help. 
  We have many security measures in place as part of our commitment to maintaining the safety and integrity of our site. When clients or freelancers sign up to use the Upwork platform, they agree to Upworks Terms of Service. 
  We've thoroughly reviewed this customers account and determined our position stands based on Upworks Terms of Service. Please see our Terms of Service, available on the Upwork website for more information.
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/30/2025

   
  Complaint: 23257059
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  They have yet to say what part of their terms of service was violated. I haven't knowingly tried to violate any of their terms. They originally reached out to me and said I needed to verify my identity, but then never asked for any sort of verification (interview, photo id, passport, etc). When I reached out to them I was told that I have been suspended, the decision was final, and that further correspondence would go unanswered. In my estimation I've paid the around $300k in fees and I don't even get a reason or a response? To make matters worse my hiring account (what I use to hire people, some of which are long-time team members) was removed and I was currently paying people around $150k/yr. 

  I would never think I'm above rules, but to get permanently suspended when I've had perfect ratings and generated them so much money is extremely confusing. I've been constantly questioning what I could've possibly done and I can't even get a response from them. I'm hoping we can resolve this matter because the last option I have is to proceed with arbitration based on what my attorney said. This whole situation is so preposterous that is why I think there must be some sort of misunderstanding because Upwork is a very large company.

  I just want to get this matter resolved so that I can continue providing services to clients, which have only had positive experiences with me on the platform.

  
  Sincerely,
  ******** *******

  Business Response

  Date: 05/01/2025

  We regret that the customer wasnt satisfied with their experience on Upwork.
  We appreciate the opportunity to respond and understand that this has been an important matter for the customer. The details of their account status have been shared with them directly, and we have no further updates at this time. We consider this case closed. Our position stands based on Upworks Terms of Service. Please see our Terms of Service for more information.
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/02/2025

   
  Complaint: 23257059
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  They claim they have told me the reason, but they certainly have not. I do not accept this response.

  
  Sincerely,
  ******** *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/27/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Someone made this purchases using my bank information without my knowledge or approval. I did not receive any services that were paid for. I requested a refund to my ****** account where this imposter paid Upworks.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/29/2025

  We're sorry to hear this customer wasn't satisfied with their experience and appreciate the opportunity to help. 
  We have many security measures in place as part of our commitment to maintaining the safety and integrity of our site. For more information on how to stay safe online and on Upwork, please visit our Support page on the Upwork website. 
  We are in contact with the customer directly and will continue to support them should they have additional questions. The customer can also request assistance via the Support page on the Upwork website or by directly replying to our email. We will be happy to assist.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/30/2025

   
  Complaint: 23256363
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I reached out to this company after a significant amount of money was withdrawn from my bank account and paid to this unknown company.  I requested the company reimburse me because these were unauthorized payments and I have not received any services for them.  The company responded to my request on the customer service section of their website (no phone # to be found) and informed me that the accounts associated with the proof of transactions I shared with them was being closed.  But they will not reimburse me for unauthorized funds paid them for no services.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ******

  Business Response

  Date: 05/01/2025

  We regret that the customer wasnt satisfied with their experience on Upwork. 
  We appreciate the opportunity to respond and understand that this has been an important matter for the customer. The details have been shared with them directly, and we have no further updates at this time. We consider this case closed but remain available should they need assistance through the appropriate support channels.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/26/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My account was terminated without an explanation after receiving a warning (again without explanation) earlier this week. Upwork has been know for similar practices and banning freelancers with out an explanation or any channel for recourse. I reached out for an opportunity to talk with someone and have heard nothing. It seems like they are now not going to return the money I had in my UpWork account as well as any contracts that I had done the work for but were not complete yet.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/29/2025

  We're sorry to hear this customer wasn't satisfied with their experience and appreciate the opportunity to help. 
  We have many security measures in place as part of our commitment to maintaining the safety and integrity of our site. When clients or freelancers sign up to use the Upwork platform, they agree to Upworks Terms of Service. 
  We've thoroughly reviewed this customers account and determined our position stands based on Upworks Terms of Service. Please see our Terms of Service, available on the Upwork website for more information.
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/02/2025

   
  Complaint: 23253595
  

  To whom it may concern-

  I am rejecting this response because: I reached out several times and received the same generic response. I am almost positive that my account was flagged by a bot scraping user chats, not a human. I am not even sure if a person reviewed my case because not a single person at Upwork has given me a reason why. What aspect of ToS did I break? Do you have proof I broke it? I would like a chance to defend myself from whatever they are accusing me of. Furthermore within their ToS they stated that they can give warnings for first infractions. If your company cannot tell me why I was removed from the platform besides some cookie cutter "ToS violation" then you are taking advantage of freelancers and not conducting business in a remotely respectable manner. 

  I understand that removing my account does not affect Upwork's bottom line and the company will be just fine, but remember that freelancers are people. Many of us rely on you platform to do our work (and only do work through your platform because of your ToS) and to provide for our families. Upwork can easily get away with taking advantage of individuals from developing countries because they have no recourse. It is rare that they are held accountable for their predatory behavior. It is truly a shame that a platform with so much promise has zero concern from the freelancers that are doing the legwork from them.

  I truly hope this message is received by a real person who can understand why I feel taken advantage of and betrayed by your company. It really seems like Upwork is abusing the power they hold over freelancers.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ******

  Business Response

  Date: 05/04/2025

  We regret that the customer wasnt satisfied with their experience on Upwork.
  We appreciate the opportunity to respond and understand that this has been an important matter for the customer. The details of their account status have been shared with them directly, and we have no further updates at this time. We consider this case closed. Our position stands based on Upworks Terms of Service. Please see our Terms of Service for more information.
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/07/2025

   
  Complaint: 23253595
  
  They clearly have no interest in resolving this and are just telling me off. Please consider this complaint NOT resolved and to be held against Upwork.
  
  

  - Gabe