[moogatronic]

Something similar happened to me, but I was never provided with the "programming test".

My interview for a freelance gig was wrapping up, and the COO asked if I would be willing to "fix a few bugs in the system" to see if I were a "good fit" for the project. I asked point blank if they were asking me to do work for free. He responded that no, he was not, and that the task would take no more than 30 minutes to an hour. I said that I would be happy to take a programming test, or provide some other proof of competency, but that it's pretty non-standard to ask me to fix bugs in a system for free, especially for a limited hour freelance gig.

Up until that point, we were discussing project time lines, handing over of logins, and my number of hours of availability. I got an email the next day saying that they were going to go another direction. Likely, trying to fund some other suckers to fix their bugs for free.