Spotting Genuine Clients: Any Tips?

[the_programador]

Hey Upwork Community,

Hope you’re all thriving and dodging those scammy clients like a pro! Just out of curiosity, with the rise in "too good to be true" gigs (which usually are), what are your Sherlock-Holmes-level techniques for sniffing out whether a client is the real deal?

With the cost of connects soaring higher than my last energy bill, it’s crucial we pin down how to spot the legit clients. Any tips or tricks you could share would be like finding a golden ticket!

Wishing you a scam-free day! 😊

[bbdebb52]

Good question, Umer. 

Here are my top tips to avoid poor clients:

1. Huge gaps in payment (e.g., $10-$99) doesn't sound realistic. 

2. Vague descriptions. A lazy client isn't going to put much effort into communication and payment. 

3. Clients who send a large number of invitations are a red flag. 

4. Avoid clients who constantly leave poor and aggressive feedback for freelancers. 

5. Clients who pay very little per hour aren't going to make anyone rich. 

6. It's crucial to check if the client has hired someone for the job before bidding. 

7. Is the client actively checking their post? If not, we need to be careful. 

8. I wouldn't advise having more than a 20-minute meeting with a client before hiring you.  

I hope this helps!

[hadisur_rahman]

Great tips.

[the_programador]

Thanks for the valuable tips  Bashar 🙂

[khushbu_gohil]

I seen 86 invite post with having 20 to 50 proposals and now 50+ proposals

[serocketcom]

1. Look if the payment is verified.

2. Look at how many jobs and hires the client has on upwork

3. Look for the project description , if it is too vague, do not bother.

4. If the client hasn't been back online after posting the project, do not bid.

5. Look at the reviews the client is leaving.

6. Look at how much he is paying.

[tjmisny]

Avoid AI generated job postings - if a client doesn't have the skill, time or energy to type something custom, why would they take the hiring process seriously?  

[48f850a0]

Avoid middle men at all costs.. make sure the person hiring you is the person that needs the work done. This is very important!!!!

Then avoid clients that pay half the price of the project into escrow..  in short if you ever get such offer, decline and block the client. 

Avoid clients that are so interested in how long a project would take, give an estimated time frame, but if they want a specific time, skip them!! Huge red flag, you aren't a magician to know exactly the hours a project would take, you could get close, but no one knows exactly.

Lastly avoid clients messaging over 10 freelancers asking for a "quote" they need the cheapest price, always give them a high price in this case and move on, never take them seriously.

Cheers and Thank me later!!:clinking_beer_mugs:

[the_programador]

clients that are asking quotations from all the freelancers are most probably the middle man 😞

[tjmisny]

This is the most frustrating thing.  In the rare instance where I get an interview.... the client responds to my detailed and thoughtful cover letter and world-class work samples with a Neanderthal level message "How much does it cost?", and then I see they've interviewed 5 other people or so.  Usually they don't respond when I ask for more information or a call to discuss.... and sending them a quote is usually waste of time when I know they can't afford quality work.  Clearly these clients only care who is the cheapest option and that's just never going to be me because I value quality and don't use plagurism software (aka AI). 

[bbdebb52]

I hear you, Thomas. I actually get a bit confused when a client asks about cost since everything was already mentioned in the proposal. The other thing that bothers me is when a client keeps asking me when I think the work will be completed. Listen, I don't mind them asking, and it's their right to know since they will be spending money, but what I don't like is when I explain everything and provide an estimate, and they ask again how many hours will you work on this?!

In a way, it feels as if the client is worried about payment, which is a turn-off because I like to provide quality work, as you described. That said, with the few clients whom I signed a contract with, all went great. However, I did miss a few opportunities because I didn't feel comfortable with some client's attitudes regarding payment over quality.

The worst part is that some freelancers are willing to take any job and even do free work. This attitude will only encourage some clients to take advantage of the situation. But then again, the quality clients will value quality and pay for it, so they do exist, but admittedly they are harder to find.

[tjmisny]

In the case of my field, I've never seen a job posting that provides enough information for me to give an accurate quote.  I can't tell you how many times a client asks "How much does it cost to make a video?" which is like asking a chef "How much does it cost to make dinner?"  

So it's absurd when clients ask this question and then refuse to engage further to HELP ME HELP THEM provide an accurate quote.  Another in the list of reasons why it's offensive that Upwork continues to bleed us dry for opportunities to engage with unserious clients.