Freelancer.com
Refusal to release clients' money

Www.freelancer.com is a website which provides mediator/escrow services for those parties who (i) are looking for work (freelancers) and (ii) looking to get their work done (employers). I joined as a freelancer on November. Website was providing good transaction services till my project values were low (50-100 dollars). Last month, when a sum of $1000 were either in my escrow or deposited in account, and another several thousands in transit from my clients, the website froze my account. When asked, I got only one reply 'we are in the process of verifying your profile'. This is illogical because my profile was already verified long back. Neither their so-called verification process completed, nor I received any money since then. As a result, I have lost around Rs. 50, 000 directly and another several lacs in the form of receivables from the clients. After this incidence, I searched for similar incidences on blogs etc., and was shocked to know that most of the other freelancer victims also had high value accounts.

The accounts of earned funds are still available in the finances section of my profile, but now I cannot withdraw them. Funds from some of my clients (who are unaware of this fraud) are still coming in my 'dead' account. Not too surprisingly, my profile is only blocked for cash withdrawal, and not for cash in-flows.

Company: Freelancer.com
Country: India
State: Rajasthan

  <     >