Freelancer

We hired a logo designer to create a logo. Their website indicates that any material which is not original will be pulled off their website and within the actual handover agreement, it highlights that any IP associated to the concept, the designer forfeits ownership upon exchange of money for the design.

Designer has used many attributes of my logo design with many other logo designs subsequently, and when this issue has been presented to Freelancer.com, they have highlighted to address with designer. Then when questioned further, they have advised to again go back to the designer. Further questioning, they have indicated that they will investigate. Response was, yes its clear that the designer has used similar attributes of my design in other designs and can be found all over the internet... apparently, i then questioned why aren't they taking any responsibility in removing or taking greater action in protecting intellectual property.

DON'T TRUST THESE SCAMMERS, THE MONEY YOU ARE SPENDING IS A WASTE OF TIME FOR UNORIGINAL MATERIAL AND NO PROTECTION WHATSOEVER.

BUYER BEWARE.!

Well i hung in there like i said and Pay Pal got my money from freelancer.com When i filed a dispute originally with pay pal i apparently filled in the wrong form. I rang them end of last week and got put through to Security, this time my voice was heard and the agent was very efficient and put the money straight back in my Pay pal a/c. The relief was immence as you can imagine. Well next thing i hear from freelancer within hour's saying that they have refunded me. What a F--- joke, Pay Pal got the money from freelancer so really if your with pay pal you are protected. You will love this one, then i get bombarded again by freelancer asking me very nicely to leave a review and feedback, you have got to be joking i thought. I have ignored there request's because if i did as i was asked it would be so terrible they would have me up for abusive langauge LOL. Anyway, pay pal's toll free number if you are overseas is *******434. So be persistant and go get your money back and good luck to you all. And Pay Pal, i am sure you have had complaint's about you but you worked for me siting i was a valuable customer (oh really), must be all the buying i do on ebay, etsy and elsewhere, anyway i am happy, grateful and hit freelancer where it hurt's, now let's bring them down. Bombard facebook and any other outlet including media and let everyone know how they won't give you back YOUR MONEY.

Since one year I was registered on this site that allows you to earn with a pay per project system. This website (www.freelancer.com) is managed by such a Matt Barrie, Australian entrepreneur. At the end of a project, the employee receives the money in his account, less a percentage retained on the site. I made in a year and a half 3 projects in my spare time, for a total of 710$ dollars and with the 3rd project I got the possibility to withdraw the money (lower limit is 500$).

First withdrawal request was delayed of 15 days by default and was canceled. Before making the second request I asked precise details to freelancer because I wanted to use the wire transfer.

After I sent the request freelancer found a reason to cancel it: missing informations. When I sent all informations correctly my account has been limited due to 'security reason', for 'antiterrorism' and 'anti-money laundering' fraud. It required me to pass a security document review process. Procedure was suspected, because for sending money on the platform there is no verification. Money come in easily but does not come out from the platform.

In full confidence, I have uploaded the scan of ID card, copy of the contract with my bank to proof my address, a photo of me with the identity card in my hand in high resolution and I also answered to a question: why I connect from a different location respect to my address written on the document: Simply, I'm in vacation, and I use a different connection.

After a few hours I received an email inviting me to send further informations, as well as the information of my profile have to march with my profile (they match, just Country is different due to my old mobile number), a coloured copy of the bank contract (the bank is online and they sent to me just a black and white copy, they can't do more). I'm a student and I do not have any bills with my name and address, I live with my parents. They asked me why I'm connecting with proxy or VPS, they want another hi-res photo and contract with my bank has to be 'coloured'. Very good in fantasy stories. Despite my e-mails to customer service, everything was designed to block the withdrawal.

After a quick search on the internet, I've found a lot of cheated persons. Identity theft, theft of banking data extremely sensitive, high-resolution pictures with ID card in my hand and over $700 of mine unlawfully retained without permission or license granted by a credit institution or financial intermediation. I gave them 24 hours to solve the problem but they didn't care of my mail so I got to the police of my country and opened a law proceeding. I also advised mastercard, visa, paypal and skrill payment processors of the fraud by attaching the law proceeding and advised my bank of the fraud, filing a report with all data sent. Next step will be an enquiry to the international credit institutions for stopping this not-legal fraud (contract they show on website is not valid and full of illegal statements, they are not a bank).

So freelancer.com is a nice concept getting the freelancers and employers together, however there are a lot a lot of pitfalls you will have with these people.
I make website designs and I have subscribed on freelancer on June, and I'm writing this in July, this is how fast you will turn from loving the website to hating it and losing your efforts and money; the main problem is not with employees not paying (which freelancer.com doesn't guarantee) but with the website not allowing a withdraw
2/3 of the projects I got awarded with and made have the funds still in freelancer.com and I cannot get them out due to "account issues" with the client's account that I cannot know more about.
ITS BEEN 2 MONTHS AND I CANT SEE A CENT I EARNED FROM FREELANCER, the funny thing is both clients have multiple good reviews and have their payment method verified, even by following the "safety" regulations there is no way you can know that you won't be able to withdraw money you earned from that employee beforehand.
When I sent an email asking about this here is their reply

Your withdrawal was put on hold due to your employer's account issues. We cannot go further into details about their account due to our Privacy Policy.

As I'm working in support I can know if they genuinely don't give a f*** about what the client thinks, because frankly there are millions of you, a value of an element is lessened as there are many of it, it's like dropping a chip out of a lays bag, you wouldn't bend down to pick up the chip, you have a lot left in the bag.
IF YOU'RE JUST STARTING DO NOT SIGN UP ON FREELANCER you will lose time in doing the work, you will not get paid, you will have a headache dealing with uncaring customer service.

Freelancer.com have closed my account without any issue. They just said they closed because of violation of terms and conditions. I've been working on freelancer for more then 3 years and I know how the site works. I had $400+ balance and 3 year profile of 400 + reviews. What they did just closed my account without any reason and steal my money. I refereed more then 25 people on freelancer.com and I will tell them just now to leave working on this website and start on other freelacing website where I never get such issue. I lost my 3 year profile, thats discussing. These people are really un-reliable. I just read reviews on different sites about them now and see they are totally scamers. I am going to contact my lawyer to sui freelancer.com about closing/suspending accounts of people without any issues.

My username was 'silverhope' in freelancer.com
Freelacer.com staff and CEO is scammer. I planned to take legal action against CEO of freelancer.com who is cheater and dishonest person. He is very clever person. In other words he is trying to hold hard earned amount of service providers by different ways.
I was user in freelancer.com since 2 years. I left my job because earning from freelancer.com was good. Now I am jobless. Reason is this I got $1000 in freelancer.com account from different clients. Freelancer.com CEO wants to fund for his personal benefit so he suspended different people account by making different reasons in which my account is also included.
They hold my payments and refused to refund it. On the other hand they use different ways to get payment from service provider. Sometime freelancer.com staff reversed payment from your freelancer.com and make lame excuses that your client has reversed from his Paypal. Mean that service provider value in freelancer.com is like a dog.
Supposed being a service provider you provide services to the client who are located in another country and you found him via freelancer.com platform. If freelancer has issue with this client regarding bank issue of client and client cleared your pay. If client get work from service provider and pay the service provider then freelancer.com will not allow withdrawing payment to service provider and send them message to ask your client so solve his bank account issue. How service provider responsible for the bank account of client. He paid us for our services and freelancer should take his responsibility himself. Service provider is not the servant of freelancer.com to verify the client account. If client don't contact then your hard earning will be in the account of freelancer.com. Government should take serious action against this website. My lawyer is making detail documents for them.
Their staff is uneducated and cannot verify simple documents. If you want to save your time then create account in Odesk.com, vworkers.com and guru.com
Freelancer.com has illiterate staff. Stupid people don't verify simple document. Staff will treat you like a dog.
Soon I will take legal action against CEO.

On the face of it this site appears to offer great services at realistic prices. It also boasts that it helps 3rd world countries by offering employment opportunities to those able to provide online services to various clients on a worldwide basis. Makes the operator sound like a really nice guy doesn't it.
Sadly, this isn't the motive or often the result. Deep within your application form there is embedded a huge set of self-serving rules. Within those rules is one HIGHLY dangerous fact you will submit to... and that is to grant Freelancer.com.au total access to debit your Paypal account at will, at whim, without invoice, notice or even any genuine reason... and THEY WILL. If you read just a few of the complaints on this site from both work suppliers and work providers... you will see that Freelancer.com.au management (hidden away in a Sydney office enjoying massive unaccounted gains)... are simply taking money from various accounts. Here's the best bit for them though:- when you email and make enquiry about your missing funds... Freelancer.com.au will suddenly elect itself to the status of an FSA (Financial Services Authority, which they are not, so illegally accumulate confidential info about you) and demand you supply photographs, addresses, phone numbers, passport and drivers licence information so they can be sure you are not money laundering. If you follow these illegal demands as many have, you will still get nothing back and eventually, if you keep asking for refunds... they will close your account so you can't pester them further. However, this is not a dead-end for you. You MUST contact the Sydney Fraud Squad or Sydney Office of Fair Trading & download their complaint forms to bring these bums to court. It only costs $5.00 to do this and I must highly recommend you take this step. The owner actually boasts on site that he pulls $30k per week for "doing nothing". Time to mark his card and close his disgusting activities. If you are currently using Freelancer.com.au without worry, do yourself a favour... go to your Paypal account and CANCEL their remote access. Then they cannot take anything from your account without an invoice and a reason that you approve. Brian (an earlier victim of 3 false extractions and nil supplied)