Fake buyer - what to do?

[vanillava]

Hi All. Brand new to Fiverr and I got my first message today from who I thought was a potential buyer. She claimed to work for Sweco and asked me to attend a Google Hangout chat with someone from their HR department, at which point I became a little sceptical, called Sweco and asked to speak to the lady concerned (a *************.) Unsurprisingly no-one of that name works for the company. Aren’t buyers screened before they can contact sellers? Is there any way to avoid these scammers? Can I report the names concerned to Fiverr?

Mod Note: User’s name removed.

[catwriter]

Hi All. Brand new to Fiverr and I got my first message today from who I thought was a potential buyer. She claimed to work for Sweco and asked me to attend a Google Hangout chat with someone from their HR department, at which point I became a little sceptical, called Sweco and asked to speak to the lady concerned (a *************.) Unsurprisingly no-one of that name works for the company. Aren’t buyers screened before they can contact sellers? Is there any way to avoid these scammers? Can I report the names concerned to Fiverr?

Mod Note: User’s name removed.

Aren’t buyers screened before they can contact sellers?

No.

Can I report the names concerned to Fiverr?

You can, but then you’ll have to admit that you have violated Fiverr’s Terms of Service by accepting contact outside of Fiverr. You could get an account warning for that.

Oh, and please remove the buyer’s name from your post. Naming other users is a violation of the forum rules.

[vanillava]

Aren’t buyers screened before they can contact sellers?

No.

Can I report the names concerned to Fiverr?

You can, but then you’ll have to admit that you have violated Fiverr’s Terms of Service by accepting contact outside of Fiverr. You could get an account warning for that.

Oh, and please remove the buyer’s name from your post. Naming other users is a violation of the forum rules.

The contact was within Fiverr - in my messages - so not violating any TOBs. I named the buyer to prevent other people being scammed but I will remove. However, am happy to provide to anyone who would like it.

[catwriter]

Hi All. Brand new to Fiverr and I got my first message today from who I thought was a potential buyer. She claimed to work for Sweco and asked me to attend a Google Hangout chat with someone from their HR department, at which point I became a little sceptical, called Sweco and asked to speak to the lady concerned (a *************.) Unsurprisingly no-one of that name works for the company. Aren’t buyers screened before they can contact sellers? Is there any way to avoid these scammers? Can I report the names concerned to Fiverr?

Mod Note: User’s name removed.

So, you didn’t contact them via Google Hangout? That’s good. However, CS might think that you did attempt contact outside of Fiverr by calling Sweco.

Anyway, to answer this

Is there any way to avoid these scammers?

first you need to respond (you can just tell them that you’re not interested as soon as you see that they’re asking for contact outside of Fiverr) so that your response rate doesn’t suffer, and then you can report that message (there’s the option in the inbox) and block that buyer.

I named the buyer to prevent other people being scammed

Perfectly understandable, but we have to follow the forum rules.

That person was probably targeting you because you’re a new seller, they were hoping that you’re inexperienced enough to fall for that.

[vanillava]

OK, thank you for the advice

[denton11]

I received the exact same type of contact. Promptly responded to and blocked.

I think it takes a really sad person (or cohort of people) to spend time producing this low-grade bait in a place of commerce.

[humanissocial]

No, but you can and should do your own screening: avoid anyone who asks for a Google Hangout. Block them. It’s super sketchy.

There’s no reason to do this. It’s a waste of your time. And it’s not allowed.

[vanillava]

No, but you can and should do your own screening: avoid anyone who asks for a Google Hangout. Block them. It’s super sketchy.

There’s no reason to do this. It’s a waste of your time. And it’s not allowed.

I did my own screening, by calling their supposed company and have been advised latterly that this could contravene Fiverr policy. And my old employer (international IT company) used to conduct initial interviews on Google Hangouts, so it’s not necessarily a red flag

[humanissocial]

I did my own screening, by calling their supposed company and have been advised latterly that this could contravene Fiverr policy. And my old employer (international IT company) used to conduct initial interviews on Google Hangouts, so it’s not necessarily a red flag

That’s what I mean. My example didn’t involve going off Fiverr. You don’t need to do that to screen and shouldn’t.

If someone asks you to communicate off Fiverr, that’s a huge, huge red flag and you should screen those people out immediately. You didn’t need to call anyone to figure out this was sketchy as heck.

[catwriter]

I did my own screening, by calling their supposed company and have been advised latterly that this could contravene Fiverr policy. And my old employer (international IT company) used to conduct initial interviews on Google Hangouts, so it’s not necessarily a red flag

And my old employer (international IT company) used to conduct initial interviews on Google Hangouts, so it’s not necessarily a red flag

It is on Fiverr, because communication outside of Fiverr is strictly forbidden.

[misscrystal]

Hi All. Brand new to Fiverr and I got my first message today from who I thought was a potential buyer. She claimed to work for Sweco and asked me to attend a Google Hangout chat with someone from their HR department, at which point I became a little sceptical, called Sweco and asked to speak to the lady concerned (a *************.) Unsurprisingly no-one of that name works for the company. Aren’t buyers screened before they can contact sellers? Is there any way to avoid these scammers? Can I report the names concerned to Fiverr?

Mod Note: User’s name removed.

She claimed to work for Sweco and asked me to attend a Google Hangout chat with someone from their HR department,

If anyone asks you to contact them outside of fiverr just simply and automatically assume it’s a scam and report and block them from now on. You did good to follow up and check on her but after this you can safely assume any and all such things are a scam.

[annabelleessedw]

The contact was within Fiverr - in my messages - so not violating any TOBs. I named the buyer to prevent other people being scammed but I will remove. However, am happy to provide to anyone who would like it.

hi there, I think I have had the same thing happen to me-would you be able to tell me the name of the woman?

[humanissocial]

hi there, I think I have had the same thing happen to me-would you be able to tell me the name of the woman?

That’s not allowed. Please read the forum rules.

You don’t need to know anyway. It’s a scam and we all get them. It’s best to just say no, block and move on.

[mariemichael178]

Got the exact same message today… the EXACT message… so annoying :roll_eyes:

[priyasumit786]

as soon as buyer say they want to contact out side of Fiverr it is a Red flag.

I politely tell them, I have to follow the rules of the site I am working on and that is not going to happen.

It’s up to them if they order or not.

Buyers also have the option of a business account on Fiverr in which one host can make the payment and the followers can make the payments and follow up on it…

[tarotposh]

New to Fiverr and my first buyer is thought a “fake” stating they are 18 yrs but wrote in length about “toe fetish”. I am a Tarot card reader, seriously? What the hey? I requested they cancel order and reported through resolution center.

[ceechhsu]

Thanks for posting this. I told my son to start using fiverr, and he just got the same response from Sweco.  He did have his google chat interview.  Both my son and I are new to fiverr.  I do appreciate the community helping each other.