strangest requests you've gotten unrelated to the gig you advertise?

[daviddoer]

I just got my second strange request that had nothing to do with the service my gig advertises.

I’m still new, so I was very tempted to take the offer because… I need sales and ratings to level up…

buuuuut… I’m pretty sure this person was using google translate to communicate with me. Or not a native English writer at the very least. I guess what they wanted wasn’t as strange as there were aspects of what they wanted that I couldn’t perfectly understand. I can’t take a gig if I don’t understand the buyers needs thoroughly. Even if its nothing to do with what I’m selling, I’ll take a sale if I feel confident that I can do an excellent job.

Anyways, I’m sure there are plenty of interesting stories from sellers out there about getting asked to do things unrelated to your gig, maybe they were kinda strange too? Please do tell. It would be good for me to get an idea of what I can expect here.

The first message I ever got here was someone wanting me to make them an upwork profile, hahaha.

[misscrystal]

I got several messages from someone who wanted me to let them remotely take over my computer to make a profile on Upwork, since they got banned from it.

[miiila]

(post withdrawn by author, will be automatically deleted in 24 hours unless flagged)

It was the fastest CS order cancellation I’ve seen happening. Gone in minutes.

That’s pretty interesting, could be just coincidence, the queue of whoever got your ticket being low, or could mean someone does a quick check on incoming tickets to either prioritise or push them in the ‘has time’ queue, or they have software checking for trigger words there too. I never quite believed in the ‘in incoming order’. 🙂

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My most out of the ordinary one was someone asking me to make a phone call to some train stations to ask whether they found something they thought they might have lost there. Well, not quite, but I don’t want to write of the most out of the ordinary one. 😉

[lenasemenkova]

It was the fastest CS order cancellation I’ve seen happening. Gone in minutes.

That’s pretty interesting, could be just coincidence, the queue of whoever got your ticket being low, or could mean someone does a quick check on incoming tickets to either prioritise or push them in the ‘has time’ queue, or they have software checking for trigger words there too. I never quite believed in the ‘in incoming order’. 🙂

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My most out of the ordinary one was someone asking me to make a phone call to some train stations to ask whether they found something they thought they might have lost there. Well, not quite, but I don’t want to write of the most out of the ordinary one.

I did write in the subject line something about warts so it could be that, maybe. 🙂

I hope they took my word for it and didn’t go check for themselves. One traumatised person is enough.

[miiila]

I did write in the subject line something about warts so it could be that, maybe. 🙂

I hope they took my word for it and didn’t go check for themselves. One traumatised person is enough.

Well, I suppose they have to check. I’ve never thought of that but I want to take this moment to thank all CS gals and guys for doing their duty even facing unspeakable things.

[lenasemenkova]

Well, I suppose they have to check. I’ve never thought of that but I want to take this moment to thank all CS gals and guys for doing their duty even facing unspeakable things.

Do you know what’s fiverr’s policy on full nudity, btw?

OT, sorry.

[miiila]

Do you know what’s fiverr’s policy on full nudity, btw?

OT, sorry.

OT

Unfortunately I can’t tell you, I’ve trashed a gig myself because there seemed to be no clear policy. You can find a few topics on the forum that might give you a vague idea if you search but nothing clear and if you ask CS, it would seem like with other things, the answer will depend on whom you ask.

[mrnope]

i have a gig where i will illustrate “Anything” … so far no really strange requests, like rude or inapropriate etc but no nothing, although one of my first jobs was drawing a set of flying unicorn pugs!! not that weird but it was an absolute belting project to work on.

[misscrystal]

Do you know what’s fiverr’s policy on full nudity, btw?

OT, sorry.

No it’s not permitted due to this being a site that accepts sellers as young as 13.

[misscrystal]

I did write in the subject line something about warts so it could be that, maybe. 🙂

I hope they took my word for it and didn’t go check for themselves. One traumatised person is enough.

You should get some kind of honorable mention for using that word on the forum. :1st_place_medal: I know in your country it probably is just another word of course but here, not as much. Also for using it to customer support.

[lenasemenkova]

You should get some kind of honorable mention for using that word on the forum. :1st_place_medal: I know in your country it probably is just another word of course but here, not as much. Also for using it to customer support.

It’s a medical/biological term they use in textbooks for six graders, no? The p-word. 🙂

[misscrystal]

It’s a medical/biological term they use in textbooks for six graders, no? The p-word. 🙂

I understand but probably not in U.S. books for children, although I may be wrong. We are still puritanical in many ways. I just had some guy send me repeated messages using that word. So this makes two days in a row for it.

[lenasemenkova]

I understand but probably not in U.S. books for children, although I may be wrong. We are still puritanical in many ways. I just had some guy send me repeated messages using that word. So this makes two days in a row for it.

Is “m*****” also a problem or does it get a pass due to its multi-functionality? It is seriously fascinating to me.

[misscrystal]

Is “m*****” also a problem or does it get a pass due to its multi-functionality? It is seriously fascinating to me.

I don’t know. I don’t have a problem with any word but I’m not sure what the site considers improper. I don’t know if they use our puritan standards or not. I know it varies a lot by culture and country.

I did report the one who kept using that word in messages to me that were not even about any of my gigs. It’s a business, professional site so that probably means not using some words for some body parts. There are several words for parts but I don’t think it would be professional for me to list them here.

[lenasemenkova]

I don’t know. I don’t have a problem with any word but I’m not sure what the site considers improper. I don’t know if they use our puritan standards or not. I know it varies a lot by culture and country.

I did report the one who kept using that word in messages to me that were not even about any of my gigs. It’s a business, professional site so that probably means not using some words for some body parts. There are several words for parts but I don’t think it would be professional for me to list them here.

Based on buyer requests, it does seem to be somewhat controlled. Considering it was a single occasion and anything even remotely erotic gets very rarely requested.

I’ll edit this one out then not to offend any sensibilities. 🙂 Although I’m pretty sure if I an receive one on here, I can name it for what it was.

[misscrystal]

Based on buyer requests, it does seem to be somewhat controlled. Considering it was a single occasion and anything even remotely erotic gets very rarely requested.

I’ll edit this one out then not to offend any sensibilities. 🙂 Although I’m pretty sure if I an receive one on here, I can name it for what it was.

I found it refreshing to see it but it’s probably going to get flagged eventually if you leave it.

[paulmaplesden]

Yesterday a buyer complained to me that he could not hire me because my voice was too quiet on the video I uploaded to my gig. I should note that no other buyer has ever had an issue with that, and I checked the videos myself. He also said he needed to hear my voice before deciding whether to hire me - I should point out, I am a writer, not a voiceover artist…

[eoinfinnegan]

Yesterday a buyer complained to me that he could not hire me because my voice was too quiet on the video I uploaded to my gig. I should note that no other buyer has ever had an issue with that, and I checked the videos myself. He also said he needed to hear my voice before deciding whether to hire me - I should point out, I am a writer, not a voiceover artist…

I got the same request - to do a V/O on my translation gig. Weird

[asma_creations1]

we should send request to 10 buyers request as a new seller

But you are not liable to accept any order that you are not pretty sure to make it done

Thanks
great day

[jenihiggs]

I’ve also gotten the weird “let me use Upwork through your computer” request. Of course I turned it down and reported them.

I get homework requests a lot and those are annoying. At first, I used to try and help the students understand the assignment so that they could do it themselves. I once got into a whole thing trying to explain the symbolism and feminist message in “The Yellow Wallpaper”. Of course, the guy didn’t want to hear any of it. He just wanted me to do the homework for him. Now I scold them and report them. I’m done trying to be helpful.

It’s not really a strange request, but I get a lot of people who want me to edit their work. I only do rewrites. I don’t like to edit. Mostly because I know it would drive me crazy fixing punctuation and grammar on writing that I’d be itching to jump in and improve. Why am I going to repaint your house when it really needs a complete tear-down and rebuild? I don’t want to fix the surface elements when the bones of it are all jacked up. Maybe I’m just a writing snot, but I’ve never seen a manuscript I didn’t want to tear apart and fix. Rewrites only! No line edits here.
I don’t know why people don’t just search for editing gigs. I don’t edit and have no interest in editing.

[daviddoer]

Is “m*****” also a problem or does it get a pass due to its multi-functionality? It is seriously fascinating to me.

I am very amused that you censored that one. to be honest, its hard to know or understand these types of issues with language. However, this is a business, and offending even one customer is probably seen as too many. Or if moderators are lenient, one person will see reasonable use, and go extreme with the language, referencing the more tame usage as an excuse :man_shrugging:

[misscrystal]

I’ve also gotten the weird “let me use Upwork through your computer” request. Of course I turned it down and reported them.

I get homework requests a lot and those are annoying. At first, I used to try and help the students understand the assignment so that they could do it themselves. I once got into a whole thing trying to explain the symbolism and feminist message in “The Yellow Wallpaper”. Of course, the guy didn’t want to hear any of it. He just wanted me to do the homework for him. Now I scold them and report them. I’m done trying to be helpful.

It’s not really a strange request, but I get a lot of people who want me to edit their work. I only do rewrites. I don’t like to edit. Mostly because I know it would drive me crazy fixing punctuation and grammar on writing that I’d be itching to jump in and improve. Why am I going to repaint your house when it really needs a complete tear-down and rebuild? I don’t want to fix the surface elements when the bones of it are all jacked up. Maybe I’m just a writing snot, but I’ve never seen a manuscript I didn’t want to tear apart and fix. Rewrites only! No line edits here.

I don’t know why people don’t just search for editing gigs. I don’t edit and have no interest in editing.

I don’t know why people don’t just search for editing gigs.

For the past month at least I’ve gotten a couple of requests a day for things I do not offer. They apparently are not looking at my gigs or clicking on them either when they send me the message. I can’t understand why people would keep sending me requests for things that are not in my gigs, and not even similar to my gigs.

And sometimes they assume I sell my gigs for $5 or $10, when my gigs start at $65. They are not even looking at my gigs, just directly messaging me.

[daviddoer]

Yesterday a buyer complained to me that he could not hire me because my voice was too quiet on the video I uploaded to my gig. I should note that no other buyer has ever had an issue with that, and I checked the videos myself. He also said he needed to hear my voice before deciding whether to hire me - I should point out, I am a writer, not a voiceover artist…

I tend to explain any strange behavior or expectations on language barrier, and culture differences. It is still amusing to wonder over actions we can’t quite comprehend.

[paulmaplesden]

I have lost count of the number of people who either:

a) Ask me to write and post Amazon reviews.
b) Want me to write their term papers for them.

It has gotten so bad, I now have quick responses for each, requesting them to (politely) get lost. I also report them for inappropriate behavior.

[misscrystal]

I tend to explain any strange behavior or expectations on language barrier, and culture differences. It is still amusing to wonder over actions we can’t quite comprehend.

I tend to explain any strange behavior or expectations on language barrier, and culture differences.

I’ve apparently had my gigs showing only in Singapore and Malaysia in the past month. I notice the same kind of approach from the buyers. As you say, cultural differences are interesting.