How I got caught by a fraudulent buyer!

[yevhenflip]

Greetings!

I’m Yevhen, nickname yevhenflip, and I’m a freelancer on the fiverr platform. I would like to share my impressions of working on the freelance platform fiverr.

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Everything went on as usual. I received a message from a buyer on the platform asking them to add a survey for site users to their site. Depending on their answers, products are shown that suit them. We discussed the cost and details of the order. I sent an offer to the buyer to create a survey and display products, depending on the responses. And order # FO815D2A0C8C4 was opened.

When the survey was completed, the buyer asked for help with the site menu. And I, out of my kindness, agreed. I asked the buyer to send me a menu structure with all the items and sub-items. I received a 4-level menu, I warned the buyer that the menu structure is complicated, but I want the buyer to be happy and help him with the site menu. We agreed that I would make a menu, and if he likes it, then he will pay for the site menu. Thus, two tasks were formed. The first task is a survey described in order # FO815D2A0C8C4, and the second task is a menu for which we have not yet opened an order.

We closed the order with survey. The buyer was satisfied and left a positive feedback.

I was finishing the site menu. In the process of work, the buyer asked me to make a number of additional ones, and so that the buyer was satisfied, I made concessions to him. But that was my mistake. The buyer sat on my neck. He sent in more and more new elements to add. I politely replied that I can do additional functions for an additional fee. To which the buyer replied that these add-ons should be free for him, and I’m bad, that I want to get money from him for the add-ons. Then I replied that for free, I cannot add new functions. Our dialogue began to heat up. The buyer yelled at me and threatened to take money through the chargeback for the work done if I did not do add-ons for him for free. By this time I have finished the menu and the rest of the edits. I sent the customer an order for the menu and the edits I made. To which the buyer sent me a new menu structure that was different from the agreed one. In the new site menu structure, the customer requested a 6-level menu.

Then I realized that I had fallen for a swindler, and that he was not going to pay for the work done. In my thoughts, I have already resigned myself to the fact that I will not get money for a beautiful 4-level menu and several complex functions that I have added to the site. I informed the buyer that I would not be able to complete the 6-level menu for the cost of a 4-level menu. To which he again began to shout and threaten me. He wrote that he would not pay me until I made a 6-level menu. I asked him again if he liked everything with the survey, the buyer said that everything was fine with the survey. But he demanded to make him a 6-level menu. I wrote again that I cannot make a modified menu. To which he received a new portion of insults. I wrote that until the buyer accepts a new offer on the menu with clearly described requirements, I will not continue working on the menu.

I decided to write to user support and described the situation (REQUEST # 4635687). Reported a violation by the buyer of the Fiverr’s Terms of Service. But to my surprise, the message was unanswered for more than 3 days. After 3 days, I found out that the unscrupulous buyer fulfilled his promise and requested a refund for a fully completed order. The support service did not investigate, and canceled the completed order, and I was given a warning. The warning said that I sent an incomplete order several times and abused the order delivery button. Although I delivered the order only once, and it was completely fulfilled. It is easy to check in the history of order # FO815D2A0C8C4. And there was no response to my message. I started to worry. Then I created two more support requests to get at least some kind of answer. I wrote that I delivered the order only once, provided videos and screenshots, code and other information that proved that the survey was completed and delivered completely ready.

I was hoping that the support team could protect my rights. A day later, after creating several requests, I received an answer. The support team wrote that the order was submitted and delivered several times. Another invented accusation. I duplicated part of the first message, where I indicated that I delivered only once fully completed work as required by the order. They apologized for sending a standard message and did not understand, and promised to look. I am very worried, because when you use such a well-known service as the fiverr, you pay a large commission from each order, you want to be protected from fraudulents buyers. I understand that now the coronavirus and some of the support staff are not working. But this is no excuse not to respond and protect sellers from fraudulent buyers. It’s been 4 days now and I can’t get a response from the support team. A simple situation where fraudulent actions on the part of the buyer are obvious. And such a simple situation takes so much nerves and energy. I hope that the support service will be able to restore justice, although the unpleasant memories of the fiverr will still remain.

I live you will never find yourself in a similar situation.

[yevhenflip]

Dude. First of all, next time please use new line breaks to split such walls of text into paragraphs. It’s painful to read when it’s one huge block.

That said, why on earth would you agree to deliver work before payment was issued?

We agreed that I would make a menu, and if he likes it, then he will pay for the site menu.

Are you actively trying to get scammed? Do not ever agree to work on a full project without first consulting with the buyer and agree on a specific order that explicitely states what they are paying for and what they will get. You can always agree to do extra work for additional fees.

After the menu, I agree it was not worth starting to do without payment. But my order was canceled, which was fully agreed and executed.

P.S. broke into blocks

[natawrite]

I feel for you. No one is immune from such buyers. I hope everything will be resolved. Hold on!

[gd_consulting]

Don’t do work out of an order.
If you want to demonstrate what it can be, use graphic presentation with screenshot.
Or if it is an image, make something with low resolution that cant be expoited by the client.
Always furnish something that don’t spend a lot of time to do.
So you d’ont spend a lot of time and client have an idea of your work but must order and pay to have it.
That are my best advices for this situation.

[mahmuda_va]

Dude. First of all, next time please use new line breaks to split such walls of text into paragraphs. It’s painful to read when it’s one huge block.

That said, why on earth would you agree to deliver work before payment was issued?

We agreed that I would make a menu, and if he likes it, then he will pay for the site menu.

Are you actively trying to get scammed? Do not ever agree to work on a full project without first consulting with the buyer and agree on a specific order that explicitely states what they are paying for and what they will get. You can always agree to do extra work for additional fees.

tnq sir for your answer.

[wpsanzid]

thanks for your answer