Damnit don't you just hate it when people rip you off on a article deal

Looks like I just got ripped off by a DP member.

The guy placed an order for 10 600 words articles, collected them and disappeared on June 1.

And that for a measly $ 60

Amazing how little value people place on their reputation.

He will get a nice surprise from me though, because I know who his client is, he was ordering for and I doubt he knows he is now using articles he does not hold the rights to.

I sent him a last email today and if he does not put matters right I will name and shame his ass out of principle.

 

10 articles and no deposit? I always require at least 50% up front from clients no matter how large or small the order. Won't keep you from getting somewhat ripped off but at least you wouldn't end up with nothing.

 

Very good advice.------------- Even with that it is too easy for a person to sometimes get a Paypal reversal.------- Actually, although not a guaranteed solution, the answer is often attracting higher quality buyers for your services.

 

I know, I wasn't born yesterday, it rarely happens though, and the few times that it did, I usually go after the person, and preferably in a public manner That way it serves as a warning for others getting the wrong idea, and also as a warning so others won' t fall for this con artist.

I guess it is about time for another one of those

 

What a shame! I take on writing jobs, too, though not so much anymore these days, and I know how it feels to be treated that way. Why not sign up for a freelance network, one that will ensure that you get paid, and take your new (read: not yet proven to be honest) clients with you there? You are going to have to share a little of your revenue with the network but then you will not be scammed.
I signed up with odesk and elance, just to make sure that there is somewhere I can take new clients who do not seem to be as straightforwad as I'd want them to be. I have not really been doing jobs there, though, as my current (and proven) writing service clients are all that I really want to handle right now.

 

Well, unless there is a name and shame policy here on the boards, I would put down his contact details so that others don't get caught out.

 

It suddenly got a lot more interesting: http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=1825863

Writers and content buyers read!

 

I agree with Fara. This is the only way you can avoid being scammed and you will have some kind of recourse if you are...

I think they also have the feedback system where you can leave negative feedback in case you are scammed and it will haunt the buyer for life.

 

In here we can do that as well, through the Itrader feature

 

Yeah, you should have a blacklist in your signature or something. And ofcourse, give him negative feedback for his itrader.

 

All in due course, first I want to see what that thread is going to bring up. If nothing else it will give us an idea of how many people he scammed, and of course complaining to the mods here afterwards would also be an option.

 

From looking at your posts and his, it looks like he was using other writers work to build up a portfolio to be able to charge higher rates.

 

Agreed. He was outsourcing the stuff without the buyers permission, They were not aware of it.

For example, the guy I turned out to be writing for demanded a native English speaking writer(Which he supposedly is), yet outsourced it to me a Dutch writer. Now, I write English as well as any native writer, but still it was against the agreement he made with his client. I didn't know that though, until I smelled a rat and started digging.

On the bright side this client he scammed, was served by me today(I gave him the articles, free of charge, to make up for the mess, this Honore character has made), and he is very happy with the results of my writing, so I guess I set him straight on the native thing

 

Yes, but you are slightly missing my point. Your prices are so low that they would allow someone else to resell your work. I'm guessing that's part of the rat you originally smelled? While it would appear this fellow was only portfolio building, he easily could have been upselling your work.

Hopefully the client will now work with you directly and you'll see repeat business from him.

As for the native vs non-native, I suspect many are using that as a requirement because it's easier than, "I want a writer who writes well in the English language, understands the proper way to construct an English sentence and does not use the awkward phrasing commonly used by individuals for whom English is not their primary language." Around here, non-native writers like yourself who can write as well as a native speaker are fairly rare.

 

Agreed on the native part

As for his up selling motives, he would have served himself better if he paid me, because my rates are low. Now he can never use my stuff again, as I will see him coming a mile away. So if he really could resell my work, for a profit(Which I would be perfectly fine with by the way. What a client does with the work after ordering is the client's business, not mine.), he would be dumb to act the way he has. Also why not deliver the stuff to his buyer, that would have gotten him full payment, after all he accepted half upfront from that client.

It makes no sense to me(yet).

 

I had a similar experience in which I wrote some articles for a member on here. She writes for Ehow and I know that the articles were accepted because they are on the site. She has owed me for them for a month now and is not responding to my emails. The funny thing is that I applied to Ehow(Demand Studios) and was not accepted, meanwhile two of my articles are on their site. BS!!!!!!!!

 

In that case you legally hold the rights to the articles. Send a C&D to Ehow demanding to take the articles down.

 

Yeah, I guess I do. I don't know how these people think that they can get away with it when it is so easy to find where our articles online.

 

They are hoping, if its a small amount of money that you just go away, because you think it is not worth the effort, which is exactly why you should pursue it out of principle. It sends a clear message: F*ck with me and I will hunt you down

 

Yeah it doesn't matter to me if it is $1 I take it as a personal insult. I won't let it go, I hold grudges.