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You login into freelancer account? because in dashboard I can see this bug message:

Welcome Scriptlance users! (Jul 11, 2012) A warm welcome to Scriptlance users! Your feedback is currently being imported and will take approximately 24-48 hours.  
maybe because SL was bought by freelancer?
Uhmmm.. you really check it?? in the front page of EACH project there you will see 3 littles icons at left side of the employer name,put your mouse OVER each one and READ, at the same way in each page profiles you will see the same info.
If you work here with that buyer for what reason you move to freelancer without know how that website works??
For your others questions, thats matter of freelancer and you, not mine, so if you dont like it dont work in that place.
For me this thread is clossed.
Sorry now I need to do your research job??
Delays in payments can appears in ANY website, not only in freelancer, I only said in that site I never suffer the same like here, where EVERY time I put a withdraw SL takes the time he wants...
Freelancer dont said you: dont accept projects from non verfied members. I dont do that or I take my owns security decisions and for me, works.
Use freelancer support to obtain more info about your doubts, I expend some time reading his FAQs helps, blog post and etc
Anyways you are free to work there or in other place. Good luck to you too.
You wrote this:
"We both never previously passed the verification but does it matter at all? "
You are kidding me right? so both of you dont meet with the sites requirements and want the payment with no problems????? thats funny...

You wrote this: 
" What if the client simply disappeared or refused to help with that? "
Aja.. so you take/accept projects from people with no payment method verified? I never do that.. so you take project with no escrow previously to accept it? Freelancer support that option... SL no..

So I think the problem is: you dont read the site rules!! and take sometime to plan your strategy to work in that place. With that politics freelancer assure to you then you dont will be scammed...in my point of view.
I mean I dont have problems there like in SL, his controls are better than here, his support is better, they use his head. They dont block your account because in your profile you put your capital city and a lot of etc I suffer here...
In all the marketplaces is the same, is the little "cost" for this kind of job.
Anyways send a copy of national ID and photo dont take me more than 5 minutes, and its only requested at the first time.
And you need to define "long time ago", both are already verified? both had previous payments before?? both have payment methods verified??both have worked before in freelancer? I have all of these and I dont have any problem since of beginning. Maybe you have bad luck..
If you are like you said you dont have problems, I pass all his controls and my money is sended to my card ON TIME.
And here is the same or worst scenario you mention...
Our problems are fixed!! Freelancer.com bought scriptlance!!
Now I suffer other bad decision from Betty staff support, she able to buyer to left feedback and I cant !!! thats because she said, I cant do the project on time, I refund full money to buyer after I already did 70% of the project.
For thaty reason SL dont give me the option to left my feedback?? and give that right to the buyer ONLY?? thats a very stupid decision. So give the option to send review or cancel the buyers review.
In all the courts around the world both sides hace the same rights so here in SL no??? Rene I spected your support here and take action.

Mario
Well I have 4 days, yesterday the withdraw need to be processed but nothing.. I dont know if saturday SL people works so maybe next monday, last time they take 9 days to process....