One of my clients tells me they are being threatened if they don't pay

[misscrystal]

I have a very disturbing message from one client that some seller is threatening her and
knows her address and is demanding a large sum of money from them or the seller will bring harm to this person and the family. They showed me messages where this seller is continually threatening them unless they get paid.

I just want to say that I’m shocked and saddened. This is the worst yet I’ve heard of.
I don’t want to say go to customer support, as I don’t want to give any suggestions that might bring harm, although this would be the logical course of action, but not knowing what this seller is capable of, I don’t want to give the wrong message.

I won’t share any more details of this but just had to say that this is truly horrible.

[balacafa]

I do think that you should go to customer support immediately. Tell them about your concerns to ensure that they won’t directly confront this person as this will cause harm to your client.

[misscrystal]

I do think that you should go to customer support immediately. Tell them about your concerns to ensure that they won’t directly confront this person as this will cause harm to your client.

Of course my first reaction was tell customer support but I am not going to do anything that might harm someone. I have no idea what is going on or what they might do. It is up to that client as to how they want to handle it.

[ssj1236]

This right here is one of the main reasons why Fiverr is leading cause of trust issues in my life.
Just tell them to get in touch with local authorities. Online harassing of this degree is considered a major crime depending on where you live.

[misscrystal]

This right here is one of the main reasons why Fiverr is leading cause of trust issues in my life.

Just tell them to get in touch with local authorities. Online harassing of this degree is considered a major crime depending on where you live.

My gut instinct is that this is hollow threats. But the very idea is so horrible…

[ssj1236]

My gut instinct is that this is hollow threats. But the very idea is so horrible…

My gut instinct is that this is hollow threats. But the very idea is so horrible…

Yeah, but screw it. Call the cops, end of story. But inform Fiverr Support first. Rather, you should just go ahead and contact them. The sooner this ends the better it is for everyone.

[richardbloch]

My gut instinct is that this is hollow threats. But the very idea is so horrible…

Don’t tell them to go to the Customer Support.

Tell them to go straight to the Police and to a Lawyer so the CS knows authorities are involved and they are to take serious action.

The police will maybe even contact the CS if they deem it necessary.

Hollow threats at someone’s safety, life and family are a serious crime that should be punished. Not to mention that terrible, terrible things in history happened because no one acted on “hollow threats”.

The first thing to do is giving power to the perpetrator by covering in fear and letting him/her control the victim through blackmail, extortion and abuse.

Police > Lawyer > Customer Support > Social Media > The Press.

Contact them ALL, get them ALL involved, track the psycho down and make sure he/she never, ever attempts such a gruesome act in the future.

I must also say that as someone who they came for help in a situation as terrible as this, your position is very ungrateful, considering the implications and consequences your advice may take.

However, even though its the Clients duty to make the decision for themselves - I strongly suggest you to advise them to do the above instead of giving in to the extorters.

If they sense weakness and fear - as someone highly familiar with criminal psychology, I can assure you 100% that this won’t be the last extortion they attempt. It’ll only get worse.

The only valid response is to furiously confront it with all legal possible means.

Authorities, Customer Support, The Press, The Public - get all involved and demand IP tracking, sanctions from Fiverr and legal sanctions from authorities as well.

My two cents.

[misscrystal]

I don’t think this will amount to anything. I will suggest this client reports it to customer support.

Just a cautionary example of one reason to never give out personal information.

[saddu_writer]

Don’t tell them to go to the Customer Support.

Tell them to go straight to the Police and to a Lawyer so the CS knows authorities are involved and they are to take serious action.

The police will maybe even contact the CS if they deem it necessary.

Hollow threats at someone’s safety, life and family are a serious crime that should be punished. Not to mention that terrible, terrible things in history happened because no one acted on “hollow threats”.

The first thing to do is giving power to the perpetrator by covering in fear and letting him/her control the victim through blackmail, extortion and abuse.

Police > Lawyer > Customer Support > Social Media > The Press.

Contact them ALL, get them ALL involved, track the psycho down and make sure he/she never, ever attempts such a gruesome act in the future.

I must also say that as someone who they came for help in a situation as terrible as this, your position is very ungrateful, considering the implications and consequences your advice may take.

However, even though its the Clients duty to make the decision for themselves - I strongly suggest you to advise them to do the above instead of giving in to the extorters.

If they sense weakness and fear - as someone highly familiar with criminal psychology, I can assure you 100% that this won’t be the last extortion they attempt. It’ll only get worse.

The only valid response is to furiously confront it with all legal possible means.

Authorities, Customer Support, The Press, The Public - get all involved and demand IP tracking, sanctions from Fiverr and legal sanctions from authorities as well.

My two cents.

Police > Lawyer > Customer Support > Social Media > The Press.

Contact them ALL, get them ALL involved, track the psycho down

[misscrystal]

Police > Lawyer > Customer Support > Social Media > The Press.

Contact them ALL, get them ALL involved, track the psycho down

It is not my business, it is up to the client. I have not any connection to this.

All I can do is suggest things. That is possibly the worst seller of all… Can you imagine buying a gig and having it turn out like this? 😬

[nikavoice]

It is not my business, it is up to the client. I have not any connection to this.

All I can do is suggest things. That is possibly the worst seller of all… Can you imagine buying a gig and having it turn out like this? 😬

Damn, that’s cray-cray! 😳 I don’t know why the buyer shared this information with you. Now, it’s a huge burden on your shoulders. I mean, it’s not your responsibility! I guess your aura makes people comfortable in sharing any & everything - comfort level. However, I’m not going to lie tho 🤥 but I’m curious about this seller. But, you gave us a little tease, so I’ll leave it at that. 😄

[misscrystal]

Damn, that’s cray-cray! 😳 I don’t know why the buyer shared this information with you. Now, it’s a huge burden on your shoulders. I mean, it’s not your responsibility! I guess your aura makes people comfortable in sharing any & everything - comfort level. However, I’m not going to lie tho 🤥 but I’m curious about this seller. But, you gave us a little tease, so I’ll leave it at that. 😄

I trust my instinct about this that this seller is full of it. I’m sure they won’t be around long with this business model.

[nikavoice]

I trust my instinct about this that this seller is full of it. I’m sure they won’t be around long with this business model.

I think it’s mind-boggling… The seller is willing to RISK losing his/her account over cyber threats foolishness.

[misscrystal]

I think it’s mind-boggling… The seller is willing to RISK losing his/her account over cyber threats foolishness.

The whole thing is indeed mind boggling on so many levels.

[markp]

The whole thing is indeed mind boggling on so many levels.

It might be nothing…but it may be everything. If this was me I would inform customer support. The fact that your customer has confided in you tells me they do not know what to do.The seller may be a few mince pies short of a picnic and they need to be gone from here.

[misscrystal]

Apparently this seller is relentless in sending repeat threatening messages. This is really over the top.

This is outrageous.

[writer99025]

Damn, that’s cray-cray! 😳 I don’t know why the buyer shared this information with you. Now, it’s a huge burden on your shoulders. I mean, it’s not your responsibility! I guess your aura makes people comfortable in sharing any & everything - comfort level. However, I’m not going to lie tho 🤥 but I’m curious about this seller. But, you gave us a little tease, so I’ll leave it at that. 😄

However, I’m not going to lie tho 🤥 but I’m curious about this seller.

Me too, very, very curious :thinking:

[writer99025]

Don’t tell them to go to the Customer Support.

Tell them to go straight to the Police and to a Lawyer so the CS knows authorities are involved and they are to take serious action.

The police will maybe even contact the CS if they deem it necessary.

Hollow threats at someone’s safety, life and family are a serious crime that should be punished. Not to mention that terrible, terrible things in history happened because no one acted on “hollow threats”.

The first thing to do is giving power to the perpetrator by covering in fear and letting him/her control the victim through blackmail, extortion and abuse.

Police > Lawyer > Customer Support > Social Media > The Press.

Contact them ALL, get them ALL involved, track the psycho down and make sure he/she never, ever attempts such a gruesome act in the future.

I must also say that as someone who they came for help in a situation as terrible as this, your position is very ungrateful, considering the implications and consequences your advice may take.

However, even though its the Clients duty to make the decision for themselves - I strongly suggest you to advise them to do the above instead of giving in to the extorters.

If they sense weakness and fear - as someone highly familiar with criminal psychology, I can assure you 100% that this won’t be the last extortion they attempt. It’ll only get worse.

The only valid response is to furiously confront it with all legal possible means.

Authorities, Customer Support, The Press, The Public - get all involved and demand IP tracking, sanctions from Fiverr and legal sanctions from authorities as well.

My two cents.

Man, you are always on the “attack someone” mode. LOL.

[gig_freak]

I just read a thread on the forum of another freelancing platform, you all know it, the one that starts with “U”. Some of their forum members started a thread, that there were groups, offering you some cheap jobs, but asking you to sign an NDA agreement. Of course, the NDA was a fake one, and it was used to harvest addresses and other personal information (I have no clue if you need to give your social security number on NDA’s in the US). Anyways, never sign NDAs online, with not-trusted people.

I use different e-mails, different social media pages (because in some of my gigs, I need to have my clients in my friend’s list, so I can finish the gig).

[richardbloch]

Man, you are always on the “attack someone” mode. LOL.

100% True.

Si vis pacem, para bellum.

[writer99025]

100% True.

Si vis pacem, para bellum.

Si vis pacem, para bellum.

Awesome quote: “If you want peace, prepare for war”. 👍 [From Machiavelli’s Prince, I assume…]

[richardbloch]

Si vis pacem, para bellum.

Awesome quote: “If you want peace, prepare for war”. 👍 [From Machiavelli’s Prince, I assume…]

Machiavelli’s Prince is a fabulous masterpiece.

This one however is derived from Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus’s tract De Re Militari - Book 3 (around 4th Century, much older than Machiavelli), not as a literal translation though, but more of an adaptation.

[wddweeras1]

If she is in trouble, why would she share those details with you? Suspicious huh? She should have contacted Fiverr CS rather than telling you the whole story. Stay safe!

[prroducer99plus]

Wow what the hell…? Why does fiverr attracts so many shady characters? Not to mention what are the odds that you buy a gig for like a blog post or something, next thing you know it turns into death threats and the authorities are involved. I wonder how things escalated like this 😥

They should definitely contact the authorities. This is way too much.

[misscrystal]

Wow what the hell…? Why does fiverr attracts so many shady characters? Not to mention what are the odds that you buy a gig for like a blog post or something, next thing you know it turns into death threats and the authorities are involved. I wonder how things escalated like this 😥

They should definitely contact the authorities. This is way too much.

you buy a gig for like a blog post or something, next thing you know it turns into death threats and the authorities are involved.

It’s quite unbelievable…