Hi
First of all, I would like thank you for listening and sharing in my suffering!
I am contractor(josemihaman) who worked for Elance for 5 years and built a good relationship with my clients, providing the best quality and representing Elance with integrity.
I am contractor(josemihaman) who worked for Elance for 5 years and built a good relationship with my clients, providing the best quality and representing Elance with integrity.
During those 5 years, I devoted all my time working hard (including many sleepless) in order to get good feedback and gain clients.
Five years of my life were spent this way, choosing this website over many other opportunities, but today I feel Elance is discriminating against my case because I am Moroccan.
Last month Elance suspended my account in order to verify my identity and as I had a company account ,normally verification of one of my team members was sufficient per Elance's rules, but unfortunately they asked me to verify all members of my team as well as the administrator(me) and obliged me to post my picture!
In an effort to not lose more clients after the suspension , I was obligated to verify my identity in order to resolve this issue but when I spoke to 'Kitt', a member of the policy team, he treated me like a slave or a terrorist and asked me to close all open contracts!
I had many open contracts since I had been working with those clients for a long period of time and many of them didn't pay me over the last few months, nor did they pay during this suspension since I accepted their work with one condition: to re-open the contract when my account is no longer suspended.
Elance has asked me to close all open contracts and blackmailed me (telling me that if I don't close open contracts ,they will refund all clients, even those who I already completed a job for). I have called technical support numerous times, but no one wants to help me !
After repetitive calls to the technical support team, I have received a threat from the policy team! If I continue calling them ,they will suspend my account permanently and no one was willing to listen to my situation!
I responded to all their requests and sent them a message that I verified my identity. I was waiting for a response for 9 days but unfortunately no one wanted to listen to me !
As I have financial and familial responsibilities , I was obligated to contact technical support again and automatically I was told by the policy department to close all open contracts and during the call with the supervisor (Charlene) I was told that my account will be suspended permanently.
As I am in need and I did not have access to my Elance account to withdraw my funds (16000$), after 12 days of waiting , I contacted customer support again to ask them for my money but I was surprised, a few minutes later I received this message from the policy department :
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Amanda James, Mar 4, 2:26 PM:
Hello josemihaman,
I am reviewing your case right now to determine the amount of withdrawal. If you continue to contact Support, this will greatly hinder the process. I will have an answer for you shortly.
Regards,
Amanda James
Elance Support
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And a few moments later, I received another message:
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Amanda James, Mar 4, 2:54 PM:
We are releasing a portion of the funds in your account. Would you like them to go to your PayPal or Skrill?
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As you can see,they mentioned a "portion" of the funds but I was again surprised by another email
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Amanda James, Mar 5, 12:17 PM:
Hello Zakaria,
As promised, I have completed your review.
Maintaining the integrity of our site is of utmost importance to me, my team, and to our community of users. Considering the violations that have occurred, we have decided that we simply cannot make an exception for you that we wouldn't make for others. I understand this decision is a difficult one for you, but I am comfortable with my team’s choice to close your account. The decision is final.
Note that any funds that were in your Elance account have been returned to the original payment source.
I wish the you best in any future business endeavors, even though our working relationship is now effectively ended.
Regards,
Amanda James
Elance-oDesk
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Today Elance didn t want to send me my money 16000$ and not reinitiate my account
I want my rights to be heard and I need my money. I worked hard to get it.
I appreciate your gesture and putting yourself in my shoes, attempting to feel my suffering; to know that they are destroying my life and everything I have built over the past 5 years!
I have many familial responsibilities as well as numerous bills to pay each month, and to be honest with you, my life will be a living hell.
I have many familial responsibilities as well as numerous bills to pay each month, and to be honest with you, my life will be a living hell.
Best
