Report unsolicited contact
Report it to us if someone contacts you outside of Upwork using info found on Upwork.
Our marketplace was designed so that every part of freelance work — from pitching to getting paid — happens right here on our site.
That means there's no need to contact anyone you work with on Upwork outside our platform. So if someone does try to get in touch outside Upwork before entering a contract with you, they're breaking our Terms of Use, and they probably don't have your best interests at heart. We call this kind of communication unsolicited contact. Also, if someone tries to contact you outside Upwork without your authorization or consent, even after starting a contract, this is also considered unsolicited contact.
What's so bad about unsolicited contact?
If someone uses information on our marketplace to get in touch with you, we can't protect either of you. That's especially true if it leads to circumvention—an offer to work together away from our platform, which leaves you open to scams and fraud.
Circumvention is bad for us too, of course. If lots of people use us to meet but then work together elsewhere, we won't be able to keep doing what we do.
if someone tries to get in touch with you outside Upwork, let us know right away and we'll take action.