Freelancer.com — Money theft

Date - 18/10/2022
client number - [protected]
client name - Deeksha, Nidhi Singh
Mail ID- [protected]@outlook.com

I bid on a project which was all about proofreading a book in freelancer.com. They pinged me and asked me to communicate with their HR via whatsapp. After I pinged her, she explained me the project and asked 2700 INR for security purpose saying the book hasn't published yet so it's a security deposit which is refundable. She showed me some terms and conditions which was mentioning the same in the website itself. I paid the amount after which they asked me to pay the 10% commission which freelancing.com do charge from their freelancers. I am new to this so did not have any idea about that. They have showed me that they do charge from clients and freelancers. so I paid 4780 INR more!!! How stupid my action was. I could have use my brain that a client can't charge money from you! After that they said if I pay 4780 I will get 10000 as initial payment from the website. But after my payment, they stopped communicating and deleted their project from the website. I pinged them, tried to reach them out.. but couldn't!