Possible fraud - Fiverr isn't where they say they're from

[farragio]

I’ve been a member of Fiverr for a long time but have never really used it so I’m still new to it. I was searching for someone last night to help me with a project and thought I’d found someone who sounded legitimate and they were listed as being in ****** . After I’d contacted them I saw through my website analytics that they are in ******* (ETA: Moderator removed the locations. The first location and second location are half way around the world from each other, so it’s not an accident or typo that they lied about their location). Normally I wouldn’t care where they’re from except the lying about their location has my antennae up.

What is the protocol for something like this? Do I need to report them?

Mod Note: Country reference removed.

[somaginer1996]

If it’s a difference in listing, it could also be that they were traveling or that it was a bug. That does happen occasionally.

If you feel that it was definitely deception and was harmful to your project, you can report them. It’s bad form to lie about where you’re from. There are legitimate sellers from all over the world who are talented at what they do, so there’s no need for them to try and impress buyers that way.

[misscrystal]

I’ve been a member of Fiverr for a long time but have never really used it so I’m still new to it. I was searching for someone last night to help me with a project and thought I’d found someone who sounded legitimate and they were listed as being in ****** . After I’d contacted them I saw through my website analytics that they are in ******* (ETA: Moderator removed the locations. The first location and second location are half way around the world from each other, so it’s not an accident or typo that they lied about their location). Normally I wouldn’t care where they’re from except the lying about their location has my antennae up.

What is the protocol for something like this? Do I need to report them?

Mod Note: Country reference removed.

. After I’d contacted them I saw through my website analytics that they are in *******

Hi, what kind of website analytics tells you this? I would like to have it.

I have a lot of buyers who have the wrong country listed, which I can tell from their time zones.

I don’t know why buyers lie about where they are from. These are people who do not have any gigs, and have names that sound English yet are in places where English is not spoken.

[somaginer1996]

. After I’d contacted them I saw through my website analytics that they are in *******

Hi, what kind of website analytics tells you this? I would like to have it.

I have a lot of buyers who have the wrong country listed, which I can tell from their time zones.

I don’t know why buyers lie about where they are from. These are people who do not have any gigs, and have names that sound English yet are in places where English is not spoken.

and have names that sound English yet are in places where English is not spoken.

To be fair, that could just be their English name. English is taught throughout the world, and a lot of teachers demand that students adapt an English name during English classes.

[misscrystal]

and have names that sound English yet are in places where English is not spoken.

To be fair, that could just be their English name. English is taught throughout the world, and a lot of teachers demand that students adapt an English name during English classes.

Yes maybe but I don’t think so in general since my clients use their actual first names as part of my service. I also get clients who can’t spell their first names, such as someone who is supposedly in US spelling their first name Marry. It happens a lot.

Or they spell their first name differently each time they write it.

[somaginer1996]

Yes maybe but I don’t think so in general since my clients use their actual first names as part of my service. I also get clients who can’t spell their first names, such as someone who is supposedly in US spelling their first name Marry. It happens a lot.

Or they spell their first name differently each time they write it.

Hm, interesting. Maybe some of them consider their English names just as much their names. From my years in Asia I’ve known a few people who are like that.

Or they spell their first name differently each time they write it.

In that case, it’s just weirdness on their side 😛

[uk1000]

. After I’d contacted them I saw through my website analytics that they are in *******

Hi, what kind of website analytics tells you this? I would like to have it.

I have a lot of buyers who have the wrong country listed, which I can tell from their time zones.

I don’t know why buyers lie about where they are from. These are people who do not have any gigs, and have names that sound English yet are in places where English is not spoken.

Analytics that shows the ip address - even if it doesn’t show the country name you can find the approx country name from an ip address (though I think there will be some ip addresses where you can’t) from various websites.

[misscrystal]

Analytics that shows the ip address - even if it doesn’t show the country name you can find the approx country name from an ip address (though I think there will be some ip addresses where you can’t) from various websites.

Wouldn’t the ip address be fiverr’s and not the particular seller’s or buyer’s?

[misscrystal]

Hm, interesting. Maybe some of them consider their English names just as much their names. From my years in Asia I’ve known a few people who are like that.

Or they spell their first name differently each time they write it.

In that case, it’s just weirdness on their side 😛

From my years in Asia I’ve known a few people who are like that.

Yes I’ve noticed that among Asians. I am talking about certain other regions where it would not be usual.

The time zones are very revealing.

[uk1000]

Wouldn’t the ip address be fiverr’s and not the particular seller’s or buyer’s?

It sounds like the project required the seller to load his website for whatever reason (eg. to work on the website or look at it/download some files from it). So he could then see what ip addresses had loaded the web page(s).

[misscrystal]

It sounds like the project required the seller to load his website for whatever reason (eg. to work on the website or look at it/download some files from it). So he could then see what ip addresses had loaded the web page(s).

He said after he contacted them he saw their ip. But you’re right. If he sees that they visited his site then he can see it.

[newsmike]

He said after he contacted them he saw their ip. But you’re right. If he sees that they visited his site then he can see it.

Of course with a VPN you can change countries anytime you want. I can select the drop down on a VPN and be in any of 50 different countries in less than 10 seconds, so in this instance the IP is useless.

[farragio]

. After I’d contacted them I saw through my website analytics that they are in *******

Hi, what kind of website analytics tells you this? I would like to have it.

I have a lot of buyers who have the wrong country listed, which I can tell from their time zones.

I don’t know why buyers lie about where they are from. These are people who do not have any gigs, and have names that sound English yet are in places where English is not spoken.

It was Google real-time analytics. It shows the city/country people are in, in real time as they’re visiting your site. Because of the nature of the exchange between me and the other fiverr, I knew it was them showing up on the analytics in another country other than what they had in their profile.

[adsensewizard]

Why were the countries removed? Surely that can’t be naming and shaming. :thinking: Would be interesting to see what countries were involved.

[misscrystal]

Why were the countries removed? Surely that can’t be naming and shaming. :thinking: Would be interesting to see what countries were involved.

Why were the countries removed? Surely that can’t be naming and shaming.

It is important to not single out countries so that it cannot be claimed that anyone is being discriminatory toward that country, and this can happen even when there is a purely innocent information sharing intention.