Suspended, banned or blocked accounts are common for all freelancers. Don’t get sad about it because your account will be restored by following some simple steps. You can also avoid the Upwork account permanently suspended issue.
Upwork is one of the most popular freelance marketplaces in the world. It is a perfect place to find and hire freelancers. Any one of us can start working on Upwork as a freelancer after registration and passing the Upwork readiness test exam.
People who have jobs or projects on Upwork are called Clients and Freelancers who work on different projects are called Freelancers.
Are you a freelancer? Are you facing issues with your account? If yes, then read this article to learn how to avoid the Upwork account permanently suspended issue and what you should do when you receive a notice regarding your account suspension from the Upwork team.
This article will discuss common mistakes that can cause your account to be suspended. You should follow these rules so that you do not face any problems in the future.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Familiarize yourself with Upwork’s terms of service and policies to ensure compliance. |
| 2. Maintain professionalism in all interactions with clients and fellow freelancers. |
| 3. Deliver high-quality work consistently to build a positive reputation on the platform. |
| 4. Avoid engaging in fraudulent activities or misrepresentation of skills and qualifications. |
| 5. Communicate effectively and promptly with clients to address any concerns or issues. |
| 6. Be cautious of accepting projects with unclear or unethical requirements. |
| 7. Protect your account by using strong passwords and enabling two-factor authentication. |
| 8. Regularly update your profile and portfolio to showcase your skills and expertise. |
| 9. Seek feedback from clients and use it to improve your freelance services. |
| 10. Stay informed about changes and updates in Upwork’s policies and guidelines. |
| 11. Be proactive in resolving disputes or conflicts to maintain a positive working relationship. |
| 12. Avoid excessive account suspensions by following the rules and guidelines consistently. |
| 13. Research and understand the project requirements thoroughly before accepting offers. |
| 14. Stay vigilant against potential scams or fraudulent clients on the platform. |
| 15. Adhere to deadlines and communicate any potential delays in a timely manner. |
| 16. Maintain professionalism in your profile, including your profile picture and bio. |
| 17. Keep accurate records of your work and communications with clients for reference. |
| 18. Participate in relevant Upwork community forums and discussions for valuable insights. |
| 19. Seek support from Upwork’s customer service if you encounter any issues or concerns. |
19 Ways To Keep Your Upwork Account Safe
1. Multiple Accounts
Make sure to check whether you haven’t created multiple accounts on Upwork or not. If you already have an existing account and you are trying to create another new one, then your account may be permanently suspended by Upwork due to this reason. So make sure to use only one account at a time in order to avoid any issues.
Building a successful freelance career as a business consultant takes time and effort. Check out our comprehensive guide on earning your first $1000 as a business consultant to learn valuable steps and strategies to kickstart your journey.
2. Don’t Overcharge In The Bid
If you’re applying for a job, only bid the amount you think is fair and competitive for the work. UpWork has an algorithm that looks at how you’re bidding and compares it to other bids to see if it’s realistic/fair. If your bid is too high, it can get flagged as suspicious.
3. Don’t Apply To Jobs When You’re Not Qualified
This seems like a no-brainer, but we see people applying for jobs that require years of experience when they have less than six months under their belt all the time. Don’t do this! You might get lucky, but it’s not likely—and it’s going to hurt your overall rating on UpWork if you don’t have enough good reviews to counteract the bad ones when you inevitably fail at a project because you didn’t have what it takes to complete it successfully.
4. Providing Generic Cover Letters
One of the biggest mistakes that most people make on UpWork is that they copy-paste content from others’ proposals or websites in their own proposals. This is strictly prohibited by UpWork and if your proposal gets flagged for plagiarism, then your entire account can get suspended on UpWork.
5. Don’t Share Your Upwork Login Details With Anyone
When you register on UpWork and receive your login credentials, you should keep it very safe. Don’t share your username and password with your friends or family members. They may not know the rules of UpWork and they can do suspicious activities that can lead to permanent suspension of your account.
You must ensure that you don’t share your Upwork login details with anyone else, including your friends and family, or even your colleagues if you’re working on a project for someone else. If you do share them, then you’ll be permanently suspended from UpWork and won’t be able to use their services again.
6. Don’t Use Any Automated Software To Send Proposals
I’m sure you already know about this one — not just in Upwork, but in all freelance marketplace websites, using automated software is strictly prohibited. And if you violate this rule, your account will be automatically banned.
Before accepting a job on Upwork, it’s crucial to ask the right questions to ensure a successful collaboration. Explore our article on the 13 questions you must ask before accepting a job on Upwork to gain insights and make informed decisions as a freelancer.
7. Scamming Someone
Scamming someone on UpWork is a top reason for getting your account suspended. You can’t scam anyone on this platform and expect that it will go unnoticed by UpWork’s team. Scammers are very easy to track down and they get caught very quickly. And when scammers are caught, they get their accounts suspended permanently on UpWork.
8. Posting Harmful Links
Another common reason to get your account suspended is posting harmful links on this platform, which may include malicious links, unsafe links, or unauthentic links. They can harm the user who clicks on them and makes you guilty of breaking the rules of UpWork’s team because they don’t allow such content on their platform
9. Using A Credit Card Tied To A Suspended Account
If you use PayPal or Payoneer as your payment method and have another suspended Upwork account tied to the same card or bank, then this will cause your current account to be suspended as well.
10. Don’t Send Personal Information
There are certain cases where employers ask freelancers for their email addresses or phone numbers in order to contact them outside of Upwork. This is against the platform’s rules and guidelines (and it should be against yours). You may get suspended if you share sensitive personal information with others. If you want to be safe, do not give out any details about yourself beyond what is already available on the platform.
11. Don’t Contact Clients Outside Upwork Platform
Always use the Upwork messaging system for client communication. This will ensure that all communication is tracked and you have a record of everything that you and your client agreed upon for your project. Using external communications (e.g., email, phone calls) is against Upwork’s Terms of Service, as it circumvents the platform’s built-in protections.
12. Do Not Ask For Payment Outside Of Upwork’s Platform
Upwork is very strict about payments being made through their site. Upwork has a number of ways for freelancers to get paid, but the platform and its payment methods are designed around fairness and trust. In other words, the way Upwork works is meant to prevent clients from taking advantage of freelancers who are in a vulnerable position.
If you ask or accept money outside of Upwork, they will not be able to protect you if things go awry. And that could lead to your account being permanently suspended.
Creating an impressive Upwork profile is essential for attracting clients and standing out from the competition. Discover our step-by-step guide on making an amazing Upwork profile in 10 easy steps to optimize your profile and increase your chances of securing high-quality projects.
13. Avoiding Fake Profile
Do not create fake profiles using other people’s names/information—these will be banned immediately as impersonation accounts; additionally, if any user creates more than one account under their own name without permission from UpWork first then those accounts will also be banned from using this platform permanently.
14. Do Not Use Vpn/Proxy Server
UpWork does not allow you to use VPN or proxy server to log in to your account. If you do so, they will ban your account permanently without any warning message. So if you are using any VPN or proxy server to log in to your account, stop using them right now and avoid this issue from UpWork.
15. Avoid Submitting Copied Content
Upwork doesn’t allow any content to be copied from any other source. If you copy content from another source then there are more chances that you will get suspended by Upwork. So, always try to write unique content of your own.
Maintaining a good standing on Upwork is crucial to avoid account suspension. Explore our article on 19 ways to avoid Upwork account permanently suspended issue to learn effective strategies and best practices to ensure a smooth freelancing experience on the platform.
16. Putting Out Irrelevant Proposals
In order to get hired, it is important that you only apply for projects that you are capable of doing. Do not apply for Java projects if you are only capable of doing the front end and vice versa. If a client receives an irrelevant proposal he will most likely flag it as spam and report it to UpWork for suspending your account permanently.
17. Avoid Any Illegal Works
Some freelancers want to do illegal works like hacking or selling fake accounts or selling social media followers, which is strictly not allowed on Upwork. If you do such things on this platform, immediately your account will be terminated.
18. Don’t Send Any Sexually Explicit Emails Or Messages To Anyone
I know that UpWork is like a virtual office for many freelancers. But, you can’t use it as a dating website. People use UpWork to fulfill their professional needs and earn money through working with someone else. Don’t send any inappropriate messages because they will be the reason for your account suspension in the future.
19. Avoid Post Fake Feedback Or Reviews
It’s not a good idea to post fake feedback and reviews on Upwork. You might get in trouble if you do so. I would suggest you not post any fake feedback or review even if you are satisfied with the service provider.
What To Do If Your Upwork Account Has Been Suspended
Your account has been suspended. What do you do now?
Don’t panic! We’re here to help. Most of the time, clients suspend accounts by accident, and we can easily get your account back up and running in no time.
If this happens to you, don’t worry! Here’s how to get things sorted out:
Sign in. You’ll be taken to a page where you can find out why your account was suspended and what you have to do next. In most cases, all you need is a minimum of 2 hours of work history on Upwork.
If you still can’t access your account after that, please contact our customer support team using the contact information below. They’ll be able to look into your account and get it sorted out for you.
Hiring the right freelancers on Upwork is key to the success of your projects. Discover our comprehensive guide, The Secret Weapon: A Guide to Finding the Best Freelancers on Upwork, to learn valuable tips and techniques for identifying and selecting top-notch freelancers who can deliver outstanding results.
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources related to Upwork and account suspension:
How to Recover a Suspended Account on Upwork: Learn the steps and strategies to recover a suspended Upwork account and regain access to your freelance opportunities.
Understanding Upwork Fees: Gain insights into the fees and charges associated with using Upwork as a freelancer or client, helping you make informed financial decisions.
Upwork Account Suspension: How to Reinstate: Discover the process and guidelines to reinstate a suspended Upwork account and continue your freelance career successfully.
Upwork Account Suspension – FAQ
Why does Upwork suspend an account?
Upwork has its own set of guidelines that every freelancer should abide by to continue working on the platform. If you do not follow these rules, your account might be deleted without any prior notice.
Why has my Upwork account has suspended?
A: There are several reasons for your Upwork account being suspended. Some of them are-
1. Using multiple accounts from the same IP address or using the same debit/credit card for multiple accounts.
2. Sending spam messages, fake jobs, or fake proposals to other clients.
3. If you have sent a proposal or message to a client that is not a good fit for your skillset.
4. Your Upwork account has many negative reviews.
How can I avoid this issue?
You can avoid this Upwork account suspension issue easily by following the terms and conditions of the Upwork website very carefully.
I have been suspended from UpWork, what should I do?
If you’ve been suspended from UpWork and you’re not sure why it’s best to email them and ask for a reason.
How can I withdraw my money from a suspended account?
Unfortunately, you can’t withdraw money from a suspended account. Your best bet is to send Upwork a message and they will see what they can do to help!
How to contact UpWork support?
If you need to contact UpWork support, you can visit the Support page at:
https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us
How does UpWork work?
One of the most popular and trusted freelance sites today is UpWork. It is a global marketplace where businesses can connect with talented professionals across different industries. If you’re looking for work or want to promote your business, then this platform is one of the best places to start.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.