Verifying freelancer identity prior to hire

[boomfiverr]

I have had some bad experiences on Fiverr (and other freelancer websites) with fake accounts.

I intend to pay freelancers through Fiverr, however, I am planning to screen freelancers prior to hiring them.  I want to use a tool called OnFido for verifying identity documents (like passport, drivers license etc) along with a selfie.  If a freelancer declines to complete the screening (or fails) I will not hire them.

Before I request this of freelancers, I'd like to confirm this does not violate Fiverr terms of service.  Any thoughts?

[kendal1747]

9 minutes ago, wphossain said:

 

 

 

Edited November 2, 2022 by kendal1747

[miiila]

4 hours ago, boomfiverr said:

The terms of service also allows for the exchange of personal information.

Only if that information is necessary to get the job done, and only on the order page, though, not in the chat, which means you'd have to place an order first, before you can obtain a sellers personal information which is needed to do the job (an example being you obtaining a seller's email, so you can add them to some platform you do your projects on, or giving the seller your info that you want them to design a calling card with, etc., not a seller's ID card).

What kind of average order amount are we talking about here? 

[frank_d]

I would also need to see a bank statement before I say yes to a buyer's project while we are at it. K? K. /s

[catwriter]

5 hours ago, boomfiverr said:

In fact, the TOS explicitly acknowledges and permits the necessary exchange of personal information.

Necessary, yes. Like a teacher giving lessons via S.kype, so they have to exchange their S.kype IDs (but only on the order page, that is, once the order was placed/after you've hired them; they're not allowed to do it in chat).

Sending selfies and personal documents isn't necessary to do the work.

Sellers who share their personal contact information with you risk getting permanently banned from the site (and, in some cases, losing their only source of income). Sellers who accept to send you their personal ID and a selfie either don't know the rules, or don't care about breaking them...are you sure you want to hire someone who doesn't care about breaking the rules? Are you sure you can trust their honesty?

5 hours ago, boomfiverr said:

 I do not believe Fiverr is intended to be an anonymous platform.

And yet you quote the part of the ToS that states "to protect our users' privacy, user identities are kept anonymous".

[visualstudios]

You're free to refuse to work with anyone who doesn't provide you with what you want. Just be assured that's a great way to actually only get crap, as any serious, talented, self respecting seller on Fiverr will tell you to kick rocks, as they don't need your business, and don't need to prove who they are to anyone (other than Fiverr itself). Only desperate sellers who aren't making any money otherwise will be eager to take your offer.

So sure, go ahead, if you want suboptimal results, that's a great strategy.

Also, btw, I find it hilarious that all the people who wanted me to sign NDA's so I wouldn't "steal their content" were people with content I would never want to steal in the first place. Big brands, great content, high budget clients never bothered me with that crap. It's always the peasants who seem to think they're hot sh*t.

Edited November 2, 2022 by visualstudios