Complaint Review: oDesk.com - Redwood California

ODESK.COM IS a SCAM ARTISTS' DREAM BUT A RIP-OFF FOR CLIENTS

Here's Why:

odesk.com's user agreement makes it super easy for scam artists from anywhere in the world (aka contractors), to cheat numerous clients (people who use oDesk to hire talent) out of hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Two of the most common ways that contractos scam clients are these:

1. Hourly contracts (where the contractor is paid for doing a job by the hour, but despite the oDesk software which takes a snapshot of the contractor's computer screen every couple minutes to verify time spent working, contractors who spend hours online on non-related tasks are allowed to log unproductive hours which are billed automatically to a client's credit card even in a dispute).

    

2. Fixed contracts (where the contractor is paid a set rate for a job, however, as was my experience, contractors are paid even when no work is produced).

While it is unreasonable to expect oDesk or any similar platform of any considerable size to mediate agreements between contractors and clients or verify the validity of contractors' claims, it is not unreasonable to expect oDesk to operate on some moral ground.  What oDesk should do that the company blatantly (and I believe purposely) does not do is protect the rights of BOTH parties.  Instead, oDesk hides behind a policy designed to work in its own best interest while victimizing its clients.

It's been almost one month (25 days) since I hired a contractor on oDesk.com to complete a fixed copywriting job that should have taken less than one week but has instead taken nearly one month. 

To date the contractor has produced nothing.  Despite not receiving so much as a draft, oDesk not only billed my account but has done nothing to resolve the issue despite the fact that I have contacted "support" several times, filed a formal dispute and have in writing the contractor's admission that she has done nothing and her agreement to issue a refund.

oDesk's idea of resolution is to apologize and encourage the submission of frivolous "tickets" that lead to Oz. 

Meanwhile the contractor's account remains active (despite oDesk's user agreement stating that such a violation would lead to a suspending account, etc), free to violate my rights as a client, yours, and everyone else's.

The BIG SCAM is that oDesk.com is not only at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to outsourcing freelance talent, but because of the site's unethical user agreement and business practices, it is thriving as a breeding ground for scam artists and thieves from all over the globe who earn big bucks simply for doing nothing.  

Don't think that bad work, a dishonest resume and hours and hours of billing for time spent surfing the net is all that's wrong with oDesk.com either.  Learn from my experience and think again.  oDesk allows such fradulent behavior to run rampant on its platform simply because its in the company's best interest to do so. 

You see, oDesk receives what I call an "accessory" fee for each transaction.  The higher the bill that the contractor runs up, the higher the percentage that oDesk receives. Billing clients on behalf of contractors whether they work or not is just part of the scam.

Would you hire an employee that you knew would ultimately cause you twice as much as the job is worth, most likely turn out to be incompetent, and had the freedom to decide not to do the job yet you're obligated to pay regardless?

If you use oDesk as a client, your answer, whether or not you realize it now, is yes. 

Take my advice: use another outsource platform, one with real talent, ethics and an escrow service.  And if the user agreement seems to work in favor of the contractor, run for the hills!  You'll receive a better ROI in the long run and save yourself a lot of time and money.

Consider yourself warned.