What is the Verified Name?
This is the customer’s legal name as showcased on their government ID. This name also should match any banking details they have on their account. The customer’s verified name is obtained via the IDV process. This name will only show within the Contract Room and invoices. More info on Verified Name here: Verified Name
The Verified Name can usually be found in OBO under “AO Verified Name” within the Identity section:
If the last IDV for the customer was years ago (before our system upgrades), the above may not show, but checking in a Contract Room / Invoice will showcase it.
What is the Public Name?
Customers can set the name of their profile to any preferred name. These names can be the customer’s legal name, a variation of their name, a nickname, and/or a pen name. The customer’s public name is obtained via Settings > Contact Info. This name will show on the customer’s profile. More info on Public Name here: Change Your Profile Name
How does a customer change their Public Name?
Customer’s can go to Settings > Contact Info to update their public name on their Upwork account. Once completed, the name change will go into a review process. Identity Ops will automatically be notified of the name change request and it will be reviewed within 24 hours; most cases are completed sooner than that.
Public Name changes will be denied when:
- Requested name is not a name at all: “Hard Worker”; “SEO Expert”
- When the customer has requested an initial only, as either their first or last name e.g. Tom Smith to Tom S or Maribel Smith to M Smith (First name can be two letters: JD, KC, AJ, etc.)
- When the customer has requested a Company Name e.g. Tom Smith to Data Systems
Note on exceptions:
For the following exceptions, please send to ID_Doc_Review in Zendesk with clear notes on the customer’s request.
- We allow customers with client-type accounts to use first name and last initial, or company names only after they completed IDV.
- Customers who want to use a different name on their profile because they have a professional published pen name or due to gender preference will also be allowed provided that they submit and completed IDV.
How does a customer change their Verified / Legal Name?
If a customer needs to change their verified / legal name with Upwork, our help article asks them to reach out to Customer Support because in order to change this name on their account, they must go through IDV again.
If their legal name has changed and they’ve acquired a new government-issued ID with their new name, they should go through this process with Upwork to update their name. Please assign these cases to ID_Doc_Review for handling with clear notes that the customer has changed their legal name.
Important: if related to a transgender name change, please assign directly to D’Janne Thomas in Zendesk with clear notes.
If they are planning to update their legal name, but have not done so yet, they can wait to go through this process with Upwork until they’ve received their new government-issued ID. Explain that as soon as they obtain their new ID, please reach out and we can take them through this process.
Checking the status of a public name change:
Helpful Links:
**Users Following Up About Identity Verification
**Transfer Company or Agency Ownership