Got burned/jacked/disrespected....

[bob4432]

thanks for all the assistance after i cooled down and was able to adequately describe the situation. you all have given me an outside perspective and i understand you have given me that from the info i have given you. the reality is the situation is even more f*cked up but from the response i have received from what i have told you guys have suggested that i am not incorrect - i needed to make sure i wasn't too close to the situation to see if i was seeing it incorrectly. i have still cooled down a bit more, and things still look the same. i have 2 images in 2 different locations, both verified and ok. boot and nuke is ready. i think i will see what happens monday to see if they fix the situation or they will get back exactly what they gave me - an empty box and software, the website will probably come down. i am still amazed it has come to this, and i think alkemyst is probably right - they are use to ripping people off.

i guess i just can't comprehend such stupid behavior knowing what our deal was and the $$ they spent on some of the software that is on the machine along w/ all the licenses. i am not trying to sound like a power hungry person, but i can't figure out why they are doing this to me in the situation i am in w/ them, having never done anything but help them out. people are strange.

 

[BoomerD]

Just another example of:

"No good deed goes unpunished."

Always get this kind of thing in writing...and if the sum is very large, get 25-50% down and the balance on completion...PLUS, get any domain and hosting fees up front.

IMO, this puts you in the driver's seat. YOU have the control of their website. Maybe clone it with some potential changes and show them that...after you take theirs down.
"I just thought you'd like to see what your website, www.dickhead.com, is going to look like once I leave here without being paid in full...

hell, maybe a re-direct to one of the porn sites as well...

 

[brandonbull]

Originally posted by: Wheezer

Originally posted by: bob4432
did some computer assitance for somebody, in result got burned/jacked/disprespected. lots of time on my part. boot & nuke is in the rom.....do i start it?

so your asking if ATOT should condone you destroying someone else's property?


You're stupid...and get out of the computer repair business.

No mention of destroying property.

You're an unfunny douche...and get out of the breathing business.

 

[mortong]

It would not be unproffesional for you to:

1) Wipe the system they had you set up, and give it to them the way they gave it to you.
2) Take down the website you're hosting.
3) Make absolutely sure everything is in good working condition, and all software, cds and documentation gets returned. Tell them it's been a pleasure doing business, but since they are unable to pay, you are unable to provide the service.

You provided an *ongoing* service that they are refusing to pay for. Do you think Godaddy would continue to host the site if you refused to pay them?

Edit - Wait... You *OWN* their domain name? Are these people really that stupid?

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: mortong
It would not be unproffesional for you to:

1) Wipe the system they had you set up, and give it to them the way they gave it to you.
2) Take down the website you're hosting.
3) Make absolutely sure everything is in good working condition, and all software, cds and documentation gets returned. Tell them it's been a pleasure doing business, but since they are unable to pay, you are unable to provide the service.

You provided an *ongoing* service that they are refusing to pay for. Do you think Godaddy would continue to host the site if you refused to pay them?

Edit - Wait... You *OWN* their domain name? Are these people really that stupid?

yes and yes.....i am trying to be civil about this whole thing because they have branded off the site name and i am not trying to go down that road, but they are going full retard on this

 

[OUCaptain]

Wow man, that royally blows. I would do exactly what has been suggested and what it sounds like you have done. Image it and wipe their box. When they ask if it's done, simply say "Absolutely! I have done exactly what you have paid me for." I can't wait to see how this turns out for you. Sorry to say, but I hope to be reading some good drama tomorrow.

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: OUCaptain
Wow man, that royally blows. I would do exactly what has been suggested and what it sounds like you have done. Image it and wipe their box. When they ask if it's done, simply say "Absolutely! I have done exactly what you have paid me for." I can't wait to see how this turns out for you. Sorry to say, but I hope to be reading some good drama tomorrow.

Yeah, I'm looking forward to the next installation of "As the Computer Burns."

 

[bob4432]

i just hope it ends nicely, not a drama fan

 

[Chronoshock]

I hope you get paid OP. Remember you have leverage here, but don't blackmail them. Get what you're fairly owed then sever ties.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: Chronoshock
I hope you get paid OP. Remember you have leverage here, but don't blackmail them. Get what you're fairly owed then sever ties.

i wouldn't black mail anybody, i just want this finalized the way it was suppose to be

 

[JJChicken]

Originally posted by: vshah
you should have maintained your stance of dominance.

sigh

if everyone followed this simple advice we'd all be better off

 

[JJChicken]

Originally posted by: Wuffsunie

Originally posted by: Bignate603
Image the computer and nuke it. Back up their website and then take it down. Replace the website with a page that says that the website has been removed due to failure to pay for their IT services.

This will give them exactly what they paid for, nothing else. If they balk offer to restore the image for at least your original price, maybe a bit more for your troubles. Don't host this for them again, offer to sell them the domain for a reasonable price and tell them to have someone else host it because after this you are done with them. If you did the work to set up their website don't give it to them unless they pay you for it. Get any payment up front in full.

This.

Be sure to keep their logo and other information on it so that any client who attempts to view the site knows that it's still theirs and the shit they pull.

This. Don't just give them back the domain.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
Still no information on whether this company actually stated they will not pay. Everything else is unimportant if they're not actually refusing to pay and just being dicks. Sounds like the OP is making an assumption... unless of course they actually did say "we're not paying and you can't do anything about it because you've already done the work."

sorry, i thought i covered that. they have stated basically they aren't paying and too bad for me but to put it online and distribute the rdps, and also can you look at a couple of our people's laptops and check them out and bring them up-to-date if they need it. the audacity has become incredible. i couldn't make this stuff up. i wouldn't have brought this whole thing up unless they didn't say they wouldn't pay, i just wouldn't have done biz w/ them again and gave them what they paid for, but since they have said they won't pay and too bad to me, that is why i am pondering the wiping of the hdd since i got them empty. basically i acquired all the pieces through their means, which i do not want - they will get that stuff back, i put the puzzle together.

Cliffs:

Company:
Gave bob a rig to install software on
Paid for software
Asked for it to be configured to their needs for what bob though was an agreed price
When the configuration was complete turned round and said -
"We aint paying you for the work you did"
PS
"Do some more work for free."

bob4432:
Has the rig
Has done the agreed work and been told he will not receive any financial compensation
Owns the domain names
Is hosting their website for free (and has been for the last ~8 months)

PlasmaBombs thoughts -

Surely if they have an outstanding financial balance the OP doesn't need to give their shit back?

Are you dealing with the companies owner/manager or some lower downs? It may be worth bumping it up the chain and seeing what happens.

Fallback- Image your work and wipe the HDDs etc., return the hardware, and software that they paid for. If you installed anything remove it and place it in its packaging. Agree to fix it for originally agreed cost plus a small fee for your trouble. Make sure the fee is reasonable - and get them to enter into a contract/pay up front.

Fallback- Back up their website and then take it down. Replace the website with a page that says that the website has been removed due to failure to pay for their IT services. Politely email the link to whoever is in charge. State you are willing to immediately collect payment and rectify the situation.

They should suddenly realise they should own the domain name, you should have the stats for traffic. Find out it's commercial value and show them. Agree to sell it for this price (should be several thousand dollars right?). Get a contract for the sale!

Fallback- if they are still being dicks I sense penises in their future.

Bonus props if the website is accidentally compromised.

"Hey /b/ these guys [link] have an unprotected website and think you suck cock"... posted from a random internet cafe...

 

[Isocene]

l

 

[PlasmaBomb]

Originally posted by: bob4432
i am trying to be civil about this whole thing because they have branded off the site name and i am not trying to go down that road, but they are going full retard on this

You probably want to build a case against them. No more email. Certified letters, so it will hold up should the needs arise. Do remain civil. If that means hanging up on them, walking away so you can cool down, so be it. Do not do anything rash. Present them with the way thing are, what the problem is, and the way to remedy it (to your advantage, that means you can always concede something and still be OK).

Originally posted by: BoomerD
Just another example of:

"No good deed goes unpunished."

Always get this kind of thing in writing...and if the sum is very large, get 25-50% down and the balance on completion...PLUS, get any domain and hosting fees up front.

IMO, this puts you in the driver's seat. YOU have the control of their website. Maybe clone it with some potential changes and show them that...after you take theirs down.
"I just thought you'd like to see what your website, www.dickhead.com, is going to look like once I leave here without being paid in full...

hell, maybe a re-direct to one of the porn sites as well...

For future transactions this is a sensible idea (for dealing with any company).

 

[RagingBITCH]

They asked you to provide a service, they didn't pay for it. Tell them to remit payment to you or you keep their server until it happens, and you shut down their website.

EDIT - ok just read the whole thread...this is hilarious. Not for you bob! But take down their site as of Monday...these guys need to pay you for your services and hosting. There's no reason they should have been jacking with you like this. Especially a bonafide business - there's no reason they should be getting away with anything free unless they're giving you some kickbacks like sports tickets or some other form of payment.

GL bob, keep us updated. Don't spider us!

 

[Tiamat]

wow, suckage.

The type of situation you are in shouldn't even exist. What douchebags. I hope you get to the bottom of this (favorably) without incurring much more of your resources.

 

[takeru]

as what everyone has said i say the same:
1. image server, wipe server, disassemble everything to the way you received it.
2. take down web site as of midnight tonight with a message stating "due to non-payment etc etc etc...."
3. from this point on EVERYTHING must be IN WRITING. you really should have drawn up a contract for all of this. email and word of mouth can only go so far. since there is no official paperwork almost anything goes.

considering you have all their domains and alternates under you name, they are your property entirely. it doesn't matter if they branded the site name already. if they want ownership of it, they have to buy ALL the names/alternates at once, and i would make them pay up the nose to get them. you hosted them for free all this time, remember that.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: Barack Obama

Originally posted by: vshah
you should have maintained your stance of dominance.

sigh

if everyone followed this simple advice we'd all be better off

how did i lose the stance of dominance? everything was going ok until the end, and i still have their stuff. imho i am still in a dominance yet polite stance. i have done nothing rash except my first post here from 06/27/2009 @ 04:03AM that didn't make any sense. i vented on here and not to them, nor did i do anything w/ the situation besides vent here, and after re-reading what i had posted, i am glad i vented here and not to them.

PlasmaBomb
i am dealing w/ the owner, so can't go any higher than that unfortunately.

as far as the website, the domain names are in my account on godaddy, the website itself is a domain on a server that i rent, they have seen the stats and know that they can not get them, they have to get them from me, which i have given them in the past. i am pretty sure i have a pdf of the receipt from godaddy that i keep in my "bought domains folder" and if not, i am sure i could get one from godaddy. i have all the original files for the website as i put it up, they do not have any ftp access to the server that i rent - no way

to everyone else:
i really don't care if i host the site for them if they made good on the deal w/ had - they don't use much bandwidth - guess their marketing co isn't doing their job

and fwiw, i have agreed to accept items other than $$ for payment, of course of equal value and kind of got laughed at so i kind think i know where i am at, i just hate to go there, but need to do what needs to be done.

hdd has been imaged in 2 places, website is backed up.

thanks all for the support to this unfortunate situation.

 

[nutxo]

Originally posted by: takeru
as what everyone has said i say the same:
1. image server, wipe server, disassemble everything to the way you received it.
2. take down web site as of midnight tonight with a message stating "due to non-payment etc etc etc...."
3. from this point on EVERYTHING must be IN WRITING. you really should have drawn up a contract for all of this. email and word of mouth can only go so far. since there is no official paperwork almost anything goes.

considering you have all their domains and alternates under you name, they are your property entirely. it doesn't matter if they branded the site name already. if they want ownership of it, they have to buy ALL the names/alternates at once, and i would make them pay up the nose to get them. you hosted them for free all this time, remember that.

This.

I'd be a lot more vindictive but everyone here seems to think its okay to take it up the ass.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: nutxo

Originally posted by: takeru
as what everyone has said i say the same:
1. image server, wipe server, disassemble everything to the way you received it.
2. take down web site as of midnight tonight with a message stating "due to non-payment etc etc etc...."
3. from this point on EVERYTHING must be IN WRITING. you really should have drawn up a contract for all of this. email and word of mouth can only go so far. since there is no official paperwork almost anything goes.

considering you have all their domains and alternates under you name, they are your property entirely. it doesn't matter if they branded the site name already. if they want ownership of it, they have to buy ALL the names/alternates at once, and i would make them pay up the nose to get them. you hosted them for free all this time, remember that.

This.

I'd be a lot more vindictive but everyone here seems to think its okay to take it up the ass.

nutxo,

i am not trying to put them out for quite some time, as i think it would if they don't come up w/ their end of the pre-arranged agreement. i am trying very hard not to be destructive to a company in these times.


slight update - looks like i am in an even better position....

after looking at the server i rent, i forgot that when i setup their domain and email accts, they asked if they could use a webmail feature so they didn't have to be locked down to 1 machine. i said no problem.

so, after looking at the rented server, it appears i have ~400MB of their emails too



it would be funny if it wasn't true :disgust:

 

[tyler811]

Originally posted by: LucJoe

Originally posted by: amdhunter
I hate people like that. One person I fixed a computer for decided to get all uppity about paying me 100 for the work I did for her. She was a friend of my brother-in-laws. The computer would not boot at all for almost 3 months, and had to remove tons of spyware when I did get it started. We had agreed on $100 before I started.

I drove there, and had made it completely usable and faster than it has ever been, but she said because I fixed it so quickly, she couldn't justify paying me so much. In the end she agreed to pay me $25 dollars (she wanted to give me $15.)

I spent about 30 minutes there -- I was so pissed off, I told her to keep her money, and to NEVER ask me to fix her computer again. Needless to say, a few months later, she needed help again, and offered to pay me what I wanted, but I told her to fuck off. lol (Felt bad for my bro-in-law though, he really wanted me to help.)

EDIT: Nuke the shit. Fuck them.

This was a friend of the family? Poorly played...

I would feel terrible accepting $100 for 30 minutes of work from an acquaintance. Demand it? Never. Take the $15 with a smile and if you really hate helping this person don't do it again.

Bullshit $100 was the agreed price. I with you on this Hunter

 

[TruePaige]

Originally posted by: tyler811

Originally posted by: LucJoe

Originally posted by: amdhunter
I hate people like that. One person I fixed a computer for decided to get all uppity about paying me 100 for the work I did for her. She was a friend of my brother-in-laws. The computer would not boot at all for almost 3 months, and had to remove tons of spyware when I did get it started. We had agreed on $100 before I started.

I drove there, and had made it completely usable and faster than it has ever been, but she said because I fixed it so quickly, she couldn't justify paying me so much. In the end she agreed to pay me $25 dollars (she wanted to give me $15.)

I spent about 30 minutes there -- I was so pissed off, I told her to keep her money, and to NEVER ask me to fix her computer again. Needless to say, a few months later, she needed help again, and offered to pay me what I wanted, but I told her to fuck off. lol (Felt bad for my bro-in-law though, he really wanted me to help.)

EDIT: Nuke the shit. Fuck them.

This was a friend of the family? Poorly played...

I would feel terrible accepting $100 for 30 minutes of work from an acquaintance. Demand it? Never. Take the $15 with a smile and if you really hate helping this person don't do it again.

Bullshit $100 was the agreed price. I with you on this Hunter

You don't get paid based on time, you get paid based on the job many times.

If you are more efficient than the next guy, why should you be penalized?

 

[nutxo]

Originally posted by: TruePaige

Originally posted by: tyler811

Originally posted by: LucJoe

Originally posted by: amdhunter
I hate people like that. One person I fixed a computer for decided to get all uppity about paying me 100 for the work I did for her. She was a friend of my brother-in-laws. The computer would not boot at all for almost 3 months, and had to remove tons of spyware when I did get it started. We had agreed on $100 before I started.

I drove there, and had made it completely usable and faster than it has ever been, but she said because I fixed it so quickly, she couldn't justify paying me so much. In the end she agreed to pay me $25 dollars (she wanted to give me $15.)

I spent about 30 minutes there -- I was so pissed off, I told her to keep her money, and to NEVER ask me to fix her computer again. Needless to say, a few months later, she needed help again, and offered to pay me what I wanted, but I told her to fuck off. lol (Felt bad for my bro-in-law though, he really wanted me to help.)

EDIT: Nuke the shit. Fuck them.

This was a friend of the family? Poorly played...

I would feel terrible accepting $100 for 30 minutes of work from an acquaintance. Demand it? Never. Take the $15 with a smile and if you really hate helping this person don't do it again.

Bullshit $100 was the agreed price. I with you on this Hunter

You don't get paid based on time, you get paid based on the job many times.

If you are more efficient than the next guy, why should you be penalized?

Heh. I recently had a friend ask me to fix his machine for free. I told him that I'd fix his computer for services. Hes a housekeeper. I wanted him to clean house for my wife while I worked on his computer.

He came up with some money

Ive tried the same thing for yardwork for friends who didnt have any services to offer that I could use. They are never willing to do anything.

 

[nutxo]

Originally posted by: tyler811

Originally posted by: LucJoe

Originally posted by: amdhunter
I hate people like that. One person I fixed a computer for decided to get all uppity about paying me 100 for the work I did for her. She was a friend of my brother-in-laws. The computer would not boot at all for almost 3 months, and had to remove tons of spyware when I did get it started. We had agreed on $100 before I started.

I drove there, and had made it completely usable and faster than it has ever been, but she said because I fixed it so quickly, she couldn't justify paying me so much. In the end she agreed to pay me $25 dollars (she wanted to give me $15.)

I spent about 30 minutes there -- I was so pissed off, I told her to keep her money, and to NEVER ask me to fix her computer again. Needless to say, a few months later, she needed help again, and offered to pay me what I wanted, but I told her to fuck off. lol (Felt bad for my bro-in-law though, he really wanted me to help.)

EDIT: Nuke the shit. Fuck them.

This was a friend of the family? Poorly played...

I would feel terrible accepting $100 for 30 minutes of work from an acquaintance. Demand it? Never. Take the $15 with a smile and if you really hate helping this person don't do it again.

Bullshit $100 was the agreed price. I with you on this Hunter

Oh. One more thing. Ive had this happen before. Now I insist they drop the computer off here and I keep it overnight. Then you never have this issue because they never know how long you actually spent on the computer.