Examples of ROBOTIC COPY-PASTE Customer Support of freelancer.com

Unhappy users of freelancer.com are complaining about the customer care service every now and then. One user has published the texts of a conversation between him and the customer care agent. It is mind blowing to see that how actually they serve the customers. The original poster marks it as "hilarious"! Along with the robotic copy-paste answers this conversation also reveals that how a worker's money is blocked due to account issues of one of his employers for whom he worked.

In blog posts that were made to expose the ill practices of Freelancer.com and the very much unsatisfactory customer care service are attended by the support agents claiming that they will solve the issues if contacted to support. These are the samples of support system-


21:45Monica P.: Hi, this is Monica. How can I help you?
21:46ME: Hi Monica, my account was charged with a reversal of awarded prize on a contest !
21:47Monica P.: Can I have your username?
21:47ME: xxx
21:49Monica P.: Thank you for providing that information. I will be checking your account. Please hold on.
21:49ME: Ok
21:52Monica P.: Kindly give me more time to check your account. Hold on.
21:53ME: Ok!
21:55Monica P.: Thank you for waiting.
21:55Monica P.: Can I have the contest ID?
21:56ME: Yes, hold on please.
21:56Monica P.: Thank you for waiting.
21:57ME: “Illustration Design for Staff Pencil Drawings” created by xxx
21:59Monica P.: Thank you for providing that information. I will be checking your account again. Please hold on.
21:59ME: Ok!
22:00Monica P.: Thank you for waiting.
22:02Monica P.: Your account shows that the prize money of $ 190 USD on the contest “Illustration Design for Staff Pencil Drawings (ID xxx)” was returned to your employer, xxx’ account because they are currently facing an account issue.
22:03ME: What does that mean?
22:03Monica P.: We have no option but to reverse the payment that they have made.
22:03Monica P.: Your contest holder has an account issue with us that they need to settle first.
22:03ME: Why? What do you mean? They have a problem and you take my money????
22:03Monica P.: The funds will become available again once the issue is settled.
22:04ME: Please explain to me how I’m involved to their problem.
22:05Monica P.: As previously mentioned, we have no option but to return your contest holder’s funds until they settle their account issue.
22:05Monica P.: At this point, we highly encourage you to keep communicating with your contest holder to inform them about your concern and their account issue.
22:06ME: Please explain to me what kind of problem they have and why dio I have to pay for that!
22:06Monica P.: I am unable to disclose further information about this matter to preserve the security and privacy of the other party.
22:07Monica P.: As mentioned in my previous response, I am unable to disclose further information about this matter to preserve the security and privacy of the other party.
22:07ME: Why do I suspect that you just took my money?
22:07Monica P.: Your contest holder is currently coordinating with the proper department to settle their account issue.
22:08Monica P.: Rest assured that your funds will be returned to your account once they have already settled their account issue.
22:08ME: Look, Monica, I’m not an idiot! I want you to explain to me WHY don’t you solve your problem with his account without taking my money! This is crazy!!!
22:10Monica P.: We have to return their payments made to undergo in a validation process and we have no option but to return your fudns from them.
22:10Monica P.: Your understanding on this matter will be much appreciated.
22:11ME: Are you a robot? Don’t you understand what I’m asking? I don’t want your appreciation, I want my money!
22:12Monica P.: As already mentioned, your earned funds will be returned to your account after your employer has settled their account issue.
22:12ME: Ok. If the problem is not settled?
22:13Monica P.: Your employer is currently coordinating with the proper department to settle their account issue.]
22:13ME: How much do I have to wait?
22:13Monica P.: If they fail to settle it, it is possible that your funds will remain to their account.
22:14ME: Do you find this fair or logic? I’m sorry but I still believe that freelancer just stole my money.
22:14Monica P.: I cannot give you an exact time frame because the proper department handling this kind of concern has their own proceedings.
22:15ME: Do you find this fair or logic? I’m sorry but I still believe that freelancer just stole my money.
22:17Monica P.: Freelancer.com does not steal your money because those funds were on your employer’s account.
22:17Monica P.: It is our protocol to return funds to the sender if they have an account issue that they need to settle.
22:18ME: How is that possible since I was paid and I withdrew this amount to my paypal account?
22:19ME: If this is your protocol, return YOUR money to the sender, not mine!
22:21Monica P.: Your earned funds were from your employer who has an account issue with us; therefore, we have to put on on their funds and transactions temporarily.
22:22ME: Do you think that I’m stupid?
22:24Monica P.: Please do understand that we have to do that to ensure that all transactions are legitimate.
22:25Monica P.: Meanwhile, kindly contact your employer about your concern.
22:25Monica P.: Is there anything else I can help you with?
22:26ME: I understand all these. What I don’t understand is why do I have to pay for other peoples’ mistakes or problems. If my employer is not legitimate, go after him. Not after me!!!
22:31Monica P.: We have no option but to return your earned funds from them, and they will be returned once they have already settled their account issue.
22:34ME: You’ve told me that about 10 times. It would be more honest from your part to accept that you’re stealing users’ money. I’m sorry but this is what you make me believe.
22:34Monica P.: Again, we do not steal any funds of our users and we have no privilege to do that.
22:35Monica P.: Your funds are only returned your employer’s account and will be available again after the settlement of their account issue.
22:37ME: Again, appcreators has a problem with his account and you return to him my money! If you return money to someone that means that you owe him money. So you should return him YOUR money, not mine!
22:38Monica P.: I’m sorry, but I have to end this chat with you as you’re refusing to follow the rules which have been explained to you.

You can find the original text at the comment section of read2learn's blog post regarding freelancer.com. This should also be noted that the user at last got his money back as the employer's account issue got solved.


Another case of customer support efficiency. Compare their answers.
10:17 Alvin L.: May I know your concern?
10:17 Marko Jotovic: I was request withdraw
10:18 Marko Jotovic: before few days
10:18 Marko Jotovic: it was ready for 18th-19
10:18 Marko Jotovic: now is 19th – and didn`t proced
10:18 Marko Jotovic: no benefit
10:19 Alvin L.: Can I have your username so I can take a look at your account?
10:19 Marko Jotovic: creatiewell
10:19 Alvin L.: Thanks for that information. Please give me around 2 minutes while I check your account.
10:20 Alvin L.: Thank you for waiting.
10:20 Marko Jotovic: sorry is: creatiwell
10:20 Alvin L.: Thanks for that information. Please give me around 2 minutes while I check your account.
10:20 Marko Jotovic: ok
10:22 Alvin L.: Thank you for waiting.
10:23 Alvin L.: Your withdrawal request has been canceled as your employer “florentahm” is having issues on its account.
10:23 Marko Jotovic: and what I can do now?
10:24 Marko Jotovic: this is past work
10:25 Marko Jotovic: I was award project with that money becuse you didn`t give me to withdraw,now I get money from musicsocial
10:25 Alvin L.: We suggest that you contact your employer and ask your employer to send an email to support@freelancer.com for the proper department to assist the issue of your employer.
10:25 Marko Jotovic: I AM MARKO – I AM NOT florentahm ??
10:25 Marko Jotovic: is that clear???
10:25 Marko Jotovic: I don`t uderstand that rules
10:26 Marko Jotovic: is that mean I CAN`T WITHDRAW ANY MONEY FROM FREELANCER.COM?
10:27 Alvin L.: The proper department is holding your funds as your employer “florentahm” is having issues on its account. The payment from your employer will be held by the proper department as this will be under investigation.
10:28 Marko Jotovic: Hey – this is not my employer – how you can have that rules? I was done jobe for him – i don`t know who is him,I dont care about him!!!! Your job is to worry about employer – I was work project here and I want MY MONEY!
10:29 Marko Jotovic: from musicsocial
10:29 Marko Jotovic: money from florentahm I spent before month
10:29 Marko Jotovic: isnted to withdraw
10:30 Alvin L.: Florentahm is your employer on the project “Custom Project May 12 2012 23:55:52″.
10:32 Marko Jotovic: yes he paid me – and I can`t be responsible for what he have issuse with you – this is not my job
10:32 Alvin L.: At this moment, your best option is to contact your employer and ask your employer to cooperate with the proper department for them to assist the issue of your employer.
10:32 Marko Jotovic: I was contact him 100000 time
10:32 Marko Jotovic: and nothing
10:33 Marko Jotovic: did I done this job?
10:33 Marko Jotovic: http://www.freelancer.com/projects/Flash-Video-Services/Animated-video.2436151.html
10:33 Alvin L.: Once your employer has settled the issue on its account, you may proceed on withdrawing your funds.
10:33 Marko Jotovic: are employer pay me 100$ ? yes
10:33 Marko Jotovic: and now what??
10:33 Marko Jotovic: your rules are crazy
10:34 Marko Jotovic: What am I guilty of??
10:34 Marko Jotovic: so now he can close his account and I can`t work anymore?
10:35 Alvin L.: Please note that the proper department has the right to hold funds that came from a fraudulent transactions.
10:35 Alvin L.: The payment from your employer will be investigated by the proper department.
10:35 Alvin L.: We suggest that you contact your employer and ask your employer to cooperate with the proper department.
10:35 Marko Jotovic: he don`t respond on any mail such is the fake employer and I can work anymore?
10:36 Marko Jotovic: your proper department is incomprehensible!!!
10:37 Marko Jotovic: if you got problem with him – you can resolve it – not me!
10:37 Alvin L.: The proper department are already contacting your employer regarding the issue on its account.
10:37 Marko Jotovic: and what they do?
10:37 Alvin L.: Please wait for this to be solved for you to withdraw your funds.
10:38 Alvin L.: They will be investigating the issue of your employer
10:38 Marko Jotovic: wait???
10:38 Marko Jotovic: this was 4 months ago
10:38 Marko Jotovic: 4 months ago
10:38 Marko Jotovic: how much I need to wait?? until the end of year??
10:39 Alvin L.: For the meantime, we suggest that you continue working on other projects for you to earn as you may be able to withdraw the funds that are more than the payment of your employer “florentahm”.
10:39 Marko Jotovic: how I can work if I cant withdraw money??? please explain me that?
10:40 Alvin L.: We regret to inform you but we cannot provide a time frame for this issue as this is being handled by the proper department.
10:40 Marko Jotovic: I done project: Project ID: 2436151
10:41 Marko Jotovic: I done project: Project ID: 2436151 – and now I can`t withdraw money?
10:41 Alvin L.: As I have said that you can withdraw your funds that is more than the amount that your employer “florentahm” has paid you.
10:41 Marko Jotovic: ok.how much I can withdraw?
10:44 Marko Jotovic: in total
10:44 Marko Jotovic: at the moment
10:44 Alvin L.: The total amount paid from your employer is $160. If you earn more than $160, you may withdraw the funds that are more than the payment from your employer.
10:45 Marko Jotovic: I mean on musicSocial
10:45 Marko Jotovic: project I done for 100$
10:45 Alvin L.: For example, you have $200 currently on your account, since the $160 is being held by the proper department, you may only withdraw the $40 on your account.\
10:46 Alvin L.: Please contact your employer to settle the issue.
10:47 Alvin L.: Is there anything else I can help you with?
10:47 Alvin L.:
If you’re temporarily away from your computer, I’ll wait 2 minutes and then close this conversation.
10:48 Marko Jotovic: now I am here
10:48 Marko Jotovic: and I want to withdraw my money from Project ID: 2436151
10:48 Marko Jotovic: may I do that?
10:49 Alvin L.: As I have said that the proper department are holding your funds. You may not withdraw your funds as the proper department are still investigating this.
10:49 Alvin L.: Please contact your employer to settle the issue and for you to withdraw your funds.
10:50 Marko Jotovic: you got issue with them or me?
10:51 Marko Jotovic: please can I withdraw money from Project ID: 2436151 or no ??
10:51 Alvin L.: It is your employer who have issues on its account but the proper department are holding your funds for investigation.
10:51 Marko Jotovic: Employer die!
10:51 Alvin L.: As I have informed you that you may not withdraw your current funds.
10:52 Alvin L.: Is there anything else I can help you with?
10:52 Marko Jotovic: why I should wotking more with you ?? and keep money on your site if I can get it from your site?
10:53 Alvin L.: Please contact your employer to settle the issue. Once the issue has been settled, you may withdraw your funds.
10:54 Marko Jotovic: but I said to you – employer was die
10:54 Marko Jotovic: he is death
10:54 Marko Jotovic: you understand that
10:55 Alvin L.: The proper department is currently investigating the issue of your employer.
10:55 Alvin L.: Please wait for this to be settled.
10:55 Alvin L.: Is there anything else I can help you with?
10:56 Marko Jotovic: if you don`t resolve my problem in 3 days – this conversation it will be PUBLIC!!
10:57 Alvin L.: We suggest that you contact your employer in any means for you to urge your employer to cooperate with the proper department.
10:57 Alvin L.: Is there anything else I can help you with?
10:58 Alvin L.:
If you’re temporarily away from your computer, I’ll wait 2 minutes and then close this conversation.
10:58 Marko Jotovic: NO THANK YOU! I RECORD THIS CONEVERASTION! TAKE MORE CARE ABOUT YOUR EMPLOYER, WE ARE JUST WORKERS!

This can be found here- http://read2learn.net/freelancer-com-scam-2012/comment-page-2/#comment-4753

Another piece of write up on customer care support of freelancer.com titled Unhelpful "Customer Support" from Freelancer.com can be found here - http://freelancerscams.blogspot.com/2012/12/unhelpful-customer-support-from.html