Ii hits home when I read about you guys who is so talented and wanting to earn some cash or wanting to be fulltime freelancers.  Upwork or formerly known as Odesk used to be a good outlet.   I started working with them since 2012 and since then it has been going straight to hell.
Now this is only my experience,  to some people,  it might be like a God-sent platform.  Iit didn't ask for any monthly payment fee before, and now it did in exchange of tiny perks like putting your file on public or being able to see what other people charge,  not to mention that will take the upwork fee as well.
We are overloaded with freelancers in any categories,  the competition is high.   And people hire people on upwork don't really care.   I be came suspicious that people actually get paid to post work there just so the site doesn't look empty.   I have a hunch.  So stop the recommendation this site to the young kids.  Let the bad guy die off.  Go to glassfoor.com for info before you take that underpaid job. STOP...