How To Identify Scams on Upwork and Report Them in 2026

Knowing how to identify scams on Upwork, including fake job postings and phishing attempts, starts with understanding the protections already built into the platform. Upwork has many features to help you work safely, build your professional reputation, and protect your hard-earned income. 

Protections that keep Upwork safe include project funds, Hourly Payment Protection, in-app messaging, client payment verification, and identity-verified freelancer profiles.

What to know about Upwork scams

• Upwork is a legitimate platform with built-in protections like Hourly Payment Protection, identity verification, and a dedicated Trust and Safety team.
• Common Upwork scam tactics include requests to move work or payment off-platform, up-front payment demands, phishing messages, and gift card fraud.
• Never share personal financial information or start work before a contract is in place.
• Use the "Flag as inappropriate" feature to report suspicious activity or scams on Upwork.

As Experian and others have noted, online fraud has increased in recent years — a trend that is expected to continue in 2026. This is largely driven by advances in AI, deepfake technology, and the increased use by consumers of vulnerable smart devices. This guide covers how Upwork keeps both clients and freelancers safe, the most common scam tactics to watch for, and what to do if you encounter suspicious activity.

Are there scams on Upwork?

Scams are an unfortunate reality of the digital world — including on Upwork. According to a November 2025 survey from Norton, 33% of U.S. respondents have encountered a job scam or suspicious job posting online at some point in their lives. This includes fake recruiters, fraudulent company websites, or phishing messages. Freelancers, businesses, and consumers need to be aware of their risks, even on legitimate platforms like ours. Scammers are always working to circumvent our protections, so knowing how to spot scams on Upwork and using the right tools to protect yourself is a key line of defense.

Upwork partnered with Incognia in 2026, a cross-device risk intelligence platform, to strengthen identity verification and fraud prevention across its marketplace. New sign-in safeguards also help users respond more quickly to potential account threats, adding another layer of protection for both clients and freelancers.

Even with these protections in place, staying informed about how to identify scams on Upwork remains one of the strongest defenses in 2026.

How to identify scams on Upwork

Learning how to identify scams and familiarizing yourself with the markers of potential scam activity can help you stay safe on Upwork and other websites. Some red flags are obvious, while experienced scammers can be more subtle and harder to spot. A legitimate Upwork user should not:

• Ask you to start work before a contract is in place
• Ask you to pay them up front or before they begin work. Placing funds in Upwork’s project funds for fixed-price projects is fine
• Request that you receive money, buy gift cards, purchase cryptocurrency, or send packages on their behalf
• Require that you pay a fee in order to apply for a job or access a tool or dashboard
• Ask you to complete unpaid "test tasks" or AI training samples before a contract is in place
• Ask for sensitive information such as your social security number, banking account numbers, credit card numbers, or government ID. Upwork collects this personal information in order to verify your identity, pay you, and provide you with necessary financial and tax documents. There is no need for someone you’re working with through the Upwork platform to request this information

It’s important to expand on what you know about identifying scams on Upwork and look for red flags that aren’t as obvious. If you notice any of the following, think twice before engaging. These can all be signs that you identified a scam job or fraudulent user:

• Clients with multiple open jobs and no money spent
• Clients with unverified payment methods
• Messages from people purporting to be from a well-known company, with no verifiable information to back up their claims
• Messages asking you to join a social media group or subscribe to a YouTube channel in order to receive a contract
• Profiles using the name or picture of a famous celebrity or other public figure
• Job posts with suspiciously high budgets
• Requests for free work

You should flag these instances or contact Customer Support if any of this happens to you.

12 known online fraud tactics and Upwork scams in 2026

Online scams targeting freelancers and job seekers are on the rise, and they're getting harder to spot. Knowing how to identify scams on Upwork and other platforms starts with recognizing the most common tactics. The FTC reported that losses to social media scams alone reached $2.1 billion in 2025, and the FBI has identified scam activity on job boards involving cryptocurrency.

Scams range from AI-generated fake profiles and phishing attempts to off-platform interview traps, and they can appear on any platform that involves an exchange of money, goods, or services. Here are the most common scams to be aware of when working with clients online:

Social media job scams

Social media job scams are increasingly common and can originate outside Upwork before posting jobs on the platform. Potential targets are typically contacted on TikTok, Instagram, or similar apps with offers of high pay for simple tasks like liking videos or boosting engagement. According to the FTC, reports of these task scams quadrupled to roughly 20,000 in just the first half of 2024.

Their 2025 data showed that nearly 30% of people who reported losing money to a scam said that it started on social media. If someone contacts you off-platform about a job opportunity, verify their identity and contract on Upwork before doing any work.

AI-generated fake profiles

Scammers on Upwork and other platforms are increasingly using AI to create convincing client or freelancer profiles using generated headshots, fabricated work histories, and polished bios. If a profile looks too perfect but has no reviews or verified payment history, you may have identified a scam on Upwork. Proceed with caution.

Fake AI training jobs

Some identified scams on Upwork involve job posts that ask freelancers to train an AI model by completing simple tasks, then requiring an up-front fee to access the tool or dashboard. Legitimate clients will never ask you to pay to start working.

Interview traps off-platform

Interview trap scams ask talent to move the conversation to Telegram, WhatsApp, or an external video call before a contract is in place. This removes Upwork's ability to monitor for fraud and leaves you without payment protection. Any remote work scam that pushes communication off-platform before a contract exists is a red flag.

Phishing scams

Phishing scams use fraudulent emails and messages that appear to be from a legitimate sender to gather your personal information. Phishing can lead to identity theft, compromised accounts, and more. If a member of the Upwork team emails you directly, the message will come from an @upwork.com or @cloud.upwork.com email address.

Identity theft disguised as onboarding

Identity theft disguised as onboarding is one of the harder scams to identify on Upwork because it mimics a real hiring process. Scammers create fake profiles or impersonate real businesses, conduct brief interviews, and quickly extend job offers. Once you accept, they request sensitive information such as Social Security Numbers, bank account details, or ID documents to commit fraud or open accounts in your name.

Fake background check scams

A fake background check scam is identifiable on Upwork when a potential client asks you to pay for screening before a contract is in place. Legitimate clients rarely require freelancers to cover background check fees, and no reputable screening company should demand immediate up-front payment. If you're asked to submit payment or personal information to a third-party site before work begins, treat it as a red flag.

Promised reimbursement

This scam involves the other party asking you to purchase supplies for a project with the promise of paying you back in excess. For example, they may ask you to buy $1,000 worth of goods and promise a $1,500 repayment. The scammer usually starts the process by asking you to send them a few hundred dollars to confirm your banking details. As soon as you do, they’ll cut off contact, and you won’t get your money back.

Check-cashing fraud

A check-cashing fraud scam is similar to promised reimbursement, but the scammer appears to pay you first. Let’s say you quote the scammer for a $500 project. They’ll say they are going to mail you a check for $800, and all you need to do is wire back the extra $300. Here’s the catch, though: The check is fake, or will bounce. It can take a day or two for this discovery to happen, whereas wire transfers are instant.

You’ll lose the $300 you wired the scammer, and you’ll never get any funds from their bad check. This scam is also a form of money laundering.

Paid or leased account fraud

Paid or leased account fraud happens when someone offers to pay you in exchange for access to your Upwork profile. If someone contacts you about this, you’ve identified a scam and should say no. This is not only against Upwork’s Terms of Service, but it can also be illegal. Furthermore, you can be responsible for any taxes owed or crimes committed through your account.

Gift card fraud

Someone running a gift card scam may ask their victims to either purchase gift cards on their behalf or share the number on the back of an existing gift card, ultimately taking the balance for themselves. Nobody should ask you to pay or be paid in gift cards in lieu of using Upwork project funds.

Digital currency or crypto fraud

Fraudsters may ask you to purchase tokens or other virtual currency in a mobile or video game. Sometimes, this request will come as part of a “job description” — but remember, a legitimate client should never ask you to pay money to work with them. If a game developer needs help testing a product, they’ll give you the necessary access to conduct testing once a contract is in place. 

Scams are constantly evolving, and anyone can be targeted — not just first-time users. If you're unsure how to identify a scam on Upwork, trust your instincts. Anything that feels suspicious is worth reporting, even if it isn't on this list. Follow the reporting steps in this guide to flag it.

How does Upwork keep clients safe?

Small and large businesses alike trust Upwork as a source of reliable freelance talent, and we continually invest in keeping it that way. Our 2025 Transparency Report showed that job offers from bad actor clients dropped significantly year-over-year. Expanding identity verification earlier in the process also increased the number of verified professionals on the platform by more than 20%, giving businesses greater confidence when hiring.

We have multiple policies, procedures, and tools that reduce scams and help companies work safely when hiring freelancers, including:

• Identity verification
• Vetted talent profiles (visible to Business Plus members)
• Curated shortlists of qualified, experienced freelancers (available to Business Plus members upon request) 
• Milestone payments held in project funds
• Hourly work diaries
• Automatic screenshots of freelancers’ work via our desktop app
• Reviews from other clients evaluating what it’s like to work with a specific freelancer
• Job Success Scores (JSS)
• Talent badges

“I love the platform and the amount of talent I have access to,” said Matt See, CEO and co-founder at Lighthouse. “We really couldn’t be this far along without help from the talent on Upwork.”

How does Upwork keep freelancers safe?

A large pool of professional, experienced freelancers use Upwork because they know our platform is a safe place to find work. Our 2025 Transparency Report also showed that job offers from bad actor clients dropped more than 90% year-over-year, thanks to expanded machine learning detections and proactive enforcement.

The most successful freelancers use the tools available alongside platform protections  to help them stay safe from scams on Upwork, including: 

• Upwork profiles and portfolios
• Upwork Messages
• Client reviews left by other freelancers 
• Client payment verification badges
• Reports of suspicious job posts or messages 

Redditor u/LumarHealth said, “... you can get clients with a good profile, good experience, and the willingness to get past the rejection to land a client. Oftentimes, clients will continue to come back to you for months or years — which is why the money you spend upfront on Connects is well worth it in the long run.”

Avoid scams by conducting business safely on Upwork

Unfortunately, bad actors are always looking for new ways to take advantage of users online. We work continuously to catch scammers on Upwork before they reach our customers, but some may slip through. Staying alert, learning how to identify scams, and knowing how to report suspicious activity helps keep everyone safe on Upwork

These three steps will help you stay safe when using the Upwork platform.

1. Never accept payment off the Upwork platform

When you send and receive payment through the Upwork platform, you’re protected by our payment protection program for eligible transactions. Upwork payment protection uses milestones, project funds, and a desktop time tracker to make sure that freelancers are paid for their hard work, and that Upwork clients are only billed for hours completed or projects delivered. 

Requesting to move payment off the Upwork platform is a tactic frequently used by scammers targeting Upwork users. If you take payment off of the Upwork platform, we cannot offer payment protection or help resolve any invoice disputes. To maintain payment protection, freelancers should refuse offers or requests for off-platform payment through PayPal, Stripe, CashApp, cryptocurrency wallets, and other systems.

2. Communicate through Upwork messaging

Keep all communication with potential clients and freelancers on the Upwork platform before starting a contract. (Keeping your communication on the platform after a contract is in place is a good idea, too!) This way, there’s a record of all of your communications and we can help resolve any issues. You can also flag suspicious messages for Upwork's Trust and Safety team to review.

If you move your conversation to a different app like Whatsapp or Telegram, we won’t be able to offer the same level of support. Declining to offer your personal phone number is advised so the freelancer or client you’re talking to won’t be able to add you on external messaging apps as easily.

3. Never share your Upwork account with others

Don’t let anyone else access your Upwork account through the browser, desktop app, or mobile app. Additionally, never send your Upwork login credentials to anyone else via email or message. If an Upwork staff member gets in touch with you for any reason, they may ask you to confirm your account details but won’t ask for your account password. Similarly, we won’t ask you to send us money or your bank account number via email or message. 

If you aren’t sure about the legitimacy of an email that claims to be from Upwork, reach out to our support team. And if you receive a message from Upwork that you think is fraudulent, you can flag it for our review. 

Reporting scams on Upwork

Read transcript

When you see potentially suspicious activity on Upwork, look for a green flag icon with the words “Flag as inappropriate.”

You can find the suspicious activity flag in the following places:

• Freelancer profiles
• Freelancer portfolios
• Job postings
• Upwork Message Center

After clicking the flag, you’ll be directed to select a reason for reporting the content. The options presented will vary based on the type of content you’re reporting, and may include:

• Requests for or offers of payment outside of the Upwork platform
• Requests to purchase access to your Upwork account
• Suspected false or misrepresented identity 
• Suspicious links in job posts
• Contact information in job posts, messages, or freelancer profiles and portfolios
• Copyright violations and suspected plagiarism
• Inappropriate content
• Threats and harassment 
• Demands for five-star ratings

If you think something violates Upwork’s Terms of Service, such as a client or freelancer requesting to take work off the platform without going through the appropriate channels, you can contact Customer Support directly. 

You’ll need to document the situation clearly and share any proof you have (such as screenshots of messages or a chat transcript) with the Customer Support team.

What to do if you think your Upwork account was compromised by a scam

If you realize you’ve identified a scam, engaged with a scammer, suspect you’re the victim of a phishing attack, or think your Upwork account may be compromised, stolen, or hacked, you can take these steps to help:

1. Report suspicious activity on your account or loss of account access by contacting Upwork Support as soon as possible. Include your name, account email address, and an explanation of what you believe is happening.
2. Immediately change your Upwork account password and security question. Be advised that we may put a hold on your account when you report it as compromised. We do this to stop scammers from using your account while we investigate the matter. If Upwork has placed a hold on your account, you won’t be able to change the password until we release the account back to you.

You can also check the Account Health Hub for a centralized view of any enforcement actions taken on your account and next steps from the Trust and Safety team.

Protecting yourself from scams online

In addition to the steps above to keep you safe from Upwork scams, you can practice these 10 electronic security habits to help you stay safe when you’re using Upwork or any other website. When working online:

1. Use secure passwords. Password managers like BitWarden, LastPass, and Dashlane generate and store unique passwords for you. Consider changing your passwords every 90 days.
2. Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA). Enabling 2FA on your Upwork account adds a second verification step each time you log in. You can verify via text, an app like Google Authenticator, or the Upwork mobile app.
3. Log out of your accounts. Sign out when you're done working, especially on shared computers.
4. Don't leave your device unattended. Lock your laptop or tablet anytime you step away in public.
5. Connect only to secure Wi-Fi networks. Secured networks require a password to connect; unsecured networks do not, which leaves your data exposed. Some bad actors even set up fake Wi-Fi hotspots to intercept your activity. When in doubt, read up on public Wi-Fi safety before connecting.
6. Use a VPN on public Wi-Fi. A virtual private network like NordVPN or ProtonVPN routes your traffic through a secure server and helps prevent third parties from accessing your data.
7. Secure your home Wi-Fi. Change your router's default settings, set a strong password, and install a firewall.
8. Install an antivirus program. Scammers disguise malware as regular files and messages. Free options include Microsoft Defender, Avira, Bitdefender, Avast, and AVG AntiVirus.
9. Click links and download files carefully. Never open links or files you can't verify. Only visit sites with a secure connection (URLs starting with https://).

        10. Back up your data regularly. Use an external hard drive or cloud services like Google Drive or Apple iCloud to keep your files safe.

Together, these habits can help minimize your risk and keep your personal data secure.

How Upwork helps freelancers stop scams in 2026

You can add several layers of scam protection to your everyday workflow by working on Upwork — from secure messages and contract workrooms, to secure project funds and access to a dedicated Trust and Safety team.

Most Upwork users conduct business on our platform without ever encountering a scammer or problem. Because scams are a known issue across all online platforms, though, you’ll want to remain diligent and let us know if you suspect something is amiss. 

Always remember these tips to protect yourself from scams:

• Practice good online safety habits 
• Keep your computers, phones, and tablets safe
• Never pay or receive payment for Upwork projects off our platform
• Never share personal financial information with other users
• Keep all work and communication on the Upwork platform
• Safeguard your Upwork account information
• Report suspicious activity or suspected scams on Upwork with the flag feature
• Familiarize yourself with Upwork’s Terms of Service and Trust and Safety policies
• Let us know immediately if your account is compromised

While you’re learning how to identify scams on Upwork, we’re keeping an eye out for current scams and new ones. Our Trust and Safety team is hard at work keeping bad actors off of the platform. Together, we can keep Upwork a safe place to conduct business online.

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Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the tools or services discussed in this article. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyze and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation.