Important Reminder: Policy on Sharing Contact Information

[BharathiM]

Hi there! I'm from Upwork's Customer Experience and Trust product team. Ensuring that Upwork remains a safe and trustworthy environment is at the core of what we do. In line with this commitment, I'd like to remind everyone about our critical policies regarding contact information sharing and payment processes. By adhering to these guidelines, we not only safeguard every transaction but also uphold the integrity of our platform.

No Exchange of Personal Contact Information Before Establishing a Contract 

To help maintain security and privacy of your Upwork account, personal contact information exchange (phone numbers, email addresses, social media) is prohibited until a formal contract is established. This prevents scams, protects privacy, and ensures transparent negotiations under Upwork’s oversight.

Off-Platform Payments are Strictly Prohibited

All financial transactions must go through Upwork’s official payment systems. This ensures timely support, dispute resolution, and community-wide protection. Off-platform payments violate terms, increasing fraud risk.

Consequences of Policy Violations

Any policy violation may result in disciplinary actions, including loss of talent badges, temporary restrictions, or permanent loss of account access. This includes attempts to share contact information through various platform features such as project descriptions, profiles, messages, attachments, or other means.

Be sure to review our contact information sharing policy and help us keep Upwork safe by reporting any attempts to send payments outside Upwork. 

Need More Information?

For further clarification on our policies, visit the links below, which provide detailed information and resources for navigating our platform safely and effectively.

• The new starter's guide to being safe and successful on Upwork
• Keeping your contact information safe
• Get to know each other before a contract

We're dedicated to fostering a secure platform where freelancers and clients can connect, collaborate, and thrive. Thank you for your cooperation and being an integral part of our community.

Thank you for your help in keeping Upwork safe, 

Upwork Trust & Safety 

[yofazza]

So clients, NEVER ask for any contact information before a contract, or face the consequences of policy violations!

Sarcasm warning. And again, what's with these duplicate sticky posts? 😁

[24e9face]

I joined Upwork last week, posted a job, and within two days began getting contacts directly via email, telephone and sms text from people who had gotten my contact info from Upwork.  So where does that leave me in believing in a "secure platform"?

[yofazza]

As I said in the "sister thread", have we seen an increase in circumvention lately? 😂 Is it one consequence of heavy monetization? 😁

I joined Upwork last week, posted a job, and within two days began getting contacts directly via email, telephone and sms text from people who had gotten my contact info from Upwork.  So where does that leave me in believing in a "secure platform"?

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There should be nothing in your job post that can be used by freelancers to contact you outside, unless you gave it to them. Did you post names, offices, or links in your job post?

[spectralua]

Circumvention going for sure. But most of jobs even have no views, noone speaking there. Maybe FLs including contact info at first line.

[yofazza]

---

 wrote:

Maybe FLs including contact info at first line.

---

That's a possibility.

And another thing for sure: the botted proposals from fake accounts (we know there's A LOT of them), they kind of must circumvent because they have a great risk of failing ID verification to withdraw the money later (or, they may tell clients who respond to the proposal to hire "the real account", as a client wrote here before).

That's why I think there might be a significant increase in circumvention happening right now, which is why they need to post the threat message everywhere, without mentioning the pre-contract contact sharing exceptions as well.

Regarding @Mark R's specific problem, I'm curious and waiting for his answer. If he later says that he didn't put anything that could be used to find his email or phone number, including on his job post on other sites, that would be interesting.

[muhungu_verlaine]

Good to know as a beginner 

[19808e42]

I will comply with all regulations.

[1dada8b6]

Best and informative post. 

[7cb9c052]

Hello,

Thank you for the important reminder about Upwork's policy on sharing contact information and payments. It's crucial to maintain a safe environment for all users. Remember, building trust through clear communication and transparent negotiation within Upwork's platform can lead to successful collaborations. Let's keep Upwork safe by following these guidelines and fostering a secure community for freelancers and clients.

Best regards,