Client is unresponsive and not willing to pay.

[makiaaqeel]

It has happened first time with me on Upwork that a client is being unresponsive and even after the successful completion of the job, client is not responding. Its not a small amount, job was to be done for $350. 

[khanasad906]

go to upwork custmer support take all your screen shots talking with client and ask for help they wil give you refund for that..

[dataextract]

Is that a fixed price job or hourly one?

If fixed price, is that escrow funded? If so, submit the work and wait for the client to release the fund or Upwork will release it after 14 days.

[makiaaqeel]

It's a fixed-price job, but Cleint was too clever from the beginning, and she funded only $5 instead of 350. I have already completed the job successfully. 

[dataextract]

Then there is nothing you or Upwork can do here, unfortunately.

[73817a14]

Is her name **Edited for Community Guidelines** by any chance? I had the same experience as you and she also scammed me that way and Upwork is useless to solve the problem....

[sofia2008]

The name of the client is not important as they don't always use their real name.

The amount funded was not a secret.

Before starting the work, always look if the funded amount is the amount you agreed to.

The budget amount is not important.

If you have a project with $100,000 as a budget, and $15 is escrow, you will be paid $15.

[the-right-writer]

In these situations, there is nothing Upwork can do. When you don't include everything in the contract, some clients will take advantage, and the scammers look for people who are new and haven't read the rules. If freelancers followed the rules, far fewer freelancers would be scammed, and the scammers would decrease. You can't expect Upwork to pay when people don't follow the rules.  If you want to learn, use the link I included in my other post to Upwork resources and important scam information. If you have a professional profile, it helps deter scammers and attract clients. Do not look at jobs or invitations until you learn the rules. Upwork is not responsible for freelancer's actions. Freelancing is self-employment, with the emphasis on "self."

[the-right-writer]

Actually, you made the error. It's up to the freelancer to make sure everything is in the contract, just as it is for the client. I'm not being mean; the good thing is you can make sure this never happens again by following the rules. Never do work on a job until that milestone is in place and funded. Because you are missing so much important information, read this post, and follow every link. Learn the Terms of Service and the Red Flags on Scams from community member Wes. Unfortunately, if you receive anything, it will be $5.00, minus fees. Do not even look at jobs or accept an invitation until you learn how to use the platform safely.

[crart]

Why would you complete, hell even start, the job if it was not fully funded? That's completely on you that you didn't wait until the client funds the milestone fully. You can be paid only what is in Escrow, gg.

[NikolaS]

Hi Makiya, 

Thank you for reaching out to us. If you are working with a client and they become unresponsive for a long period of time, you may want to stop working on the project and wait for a response. You may want to check this help article for more information.

[73817a14]

I have the same problem as her. So if a client doesn't want to pay me even though I have done my work properly, and they have verified payment, can't they suspend the account or give her a penalty?

[the-right-writer]

Upwork rarely suspends or removes anyone.

[the-right-writer]

If you have the same problem, then you didn't set up the contract appropriately. The OP made the error.

[makiaaqeel]

As I told, I have already completed the job. She responded yesterday but not willing to pay me or just paying very limited amount from what we agreed on. 

[the-right-writer]

If you have a valid Upwork contract, submit the work, and you will have it released in 14 days (after a 5-day security hold) unless the client disputes or the card number is invalid or outright stolen. However, if she has already stated she won't pay, then you will probably go to the dispute. Often, client scammers have no intention of disputing, they just want free or cheap work, and intimidate the freelancer.

If you did the job correctly, stand firm, and do not give in to a scammer.

Edited: After the OP stated the contract was funded for $5.00, this information is no longer valid. The OP will only receive $5.00 before fees. If the client doesn't pay anything, then the freelancer could dispute, but for less than five dollars, it's not worth pursuing unless on principle. The solution is to learn and follow all the rules and make sure everything is included in the contract. If it's not in the contract, it didn't happen.

[bilal1983]

I suggest taking whatever she is paying at this point, and move forward lesson learnt. If full amount is not funded, there are no guarantees and UW can't help now.

[the-right-writer]

The lesson is to look at the contract, and make sure everything is contained, and it is funded for the correct amount before accepting. Too many people just agree without ever reading the contract.

[rekasesh]

If the work is something you can upload online to a free publishing platform in your name, do it.

If it is not possible, tell her she has no rights to use the complete work until she pays the agreed upon fees or a reasonable amount you are willing to accept. 

[the-right-writer]

They agreed on a $5.00 contract. The client is willing to pay the amount they have in the contract. The OP did not look at the contract to see what was funded, and worked for $5.00. The overall budget was $350.00, but it was not funded. It's the freelancer's error, and the only money she is entitled to is $5.00.

[rekasesh]

The next best option is to refuse the $5 and keep the work.

I don't know about the freelancer, but I won't let someone get work done for next to free.

I have done this on another platform when a client tried to shortchange me by seeking a refund (I gave it as back then I was a greenhorn) and uploading the work as well on their site.

I am glad I kept checking for the post to turn up online  (forever thankful to the LinkedIn Writing group member who made me aware of this kind of scam).

I contacted the company in question and politely asked them to refrain from using my post as their employee hadn't paid for it. My Plan B was a DMCA notice if that failed. Lucky for me, the company was honest enough to delete it (was published under the owner's name and assumed to be written by the said employee).

That was my last day on that marketplace (the scam job was the final trigger), but have never regretted it.

Sometimes, you have to stand your ground and fight it out as nobody else will or cares enough.

[the-right-writer]

I didn't suggest the freelancer give away work. The option is there for dispute, as I said in another post. However, unless you are fighting for principle, it makes no sense to go to dispute.

Although it seems unfair, the fact is it is the freelancer's fault, and that's where the education has to begin. If the OP had read the rules, she would have known to look at the contract and make sure the right amount was funded before beginning work. If the OP doesn't give the work for the agreed price, the client is going to leave terrible feedback.

Your situation was different. Simple ideas can cause problems in contracts. Everything about the job must be included, and funded before any work starts. Since this was the OP's error, learning can correct the issue. Complaining because "someone" didn't protect the OP isn't warranted, because the OP made the critical error.

[rekasesh]

I never said you suggested that, Jeanne.

I know she shouldn't have completed it, better still, not submitted the entire work without funding.  I was thinking of options that would let the freelancer gain something for her efforts.

[bilal1983]

Makiya, since you said: "She responded yesterday but not willing to pay me or just paying very limited amount from what we agreed on." ... I'm assuming this could mean she is now willing to pay higher than just the funded $5. If so, I'd say accept it and close the contract.

If not, and if you can take back the work you did for the client as Rekha mentions, that also makes sense. But if you could still get more than $5, go for that.

[zansari]

Regardelss of your project type, fixed or hourly, if you have done your work properly i.e. properly tacking your time in hourly jobs and submit your work through milestones against the escrew amount there is no way that client refuse to pay.

Even if they are not responding, you will get your money.
and if they start dispute just be there in the dispute.

[the-right-writer]

You must not help freelancers or read the forum.

[ansarirabia]

Why you are getting personal Jeanne?

[zansari]

Rabia don't bother. 
Her answers to the queries are good so wherever you found something good just appriciate.

[the-right-writer]

It's not personal, it's true, and I would make the comment to anyone. There are issues with freelancers doing everything correctly, and still not being paid. There are freelancers who consistently help others who can verify this statement, and you can read the forums.

The fact is most freelancers willingly break the Terms of Service when they are scammed, and it's not Upwork's fault, it is the freelancer's fault. However, there are freelancers who did their due diligence, and still lost money, time, and effort through no fault of their own, through issues with the tracker, disputes, or chargebacks. It's important for everyone to understand how the platform functions, whether it's popular or not. No longer can freelancers assume everything will be fine. Everyone, especially the new and inexperienced, need to know there are no absolute guarantees and proceed accordingly.

[yofazza]

Your coach's response is generic and not useful. It complicates things for the newbs who read it. He misses a few important points as well. Such as, what'll happen when client only fund $5 out of the $350?

[73817a14]

The only thing we can do is to be more careful with these scammers, as Upwork does not protect us or help us in any way.