Cheap Client Messes With The Wrong Freelancer

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mattstaff
Sep 18, 2021 5:00 PM EDT

We come across far too many instances of shady individuals trying to pull fast ones on the creative professionals of this world that are just trying to get the payments that they're owed. Well, to say that things didn't work out for this dude after he tried to not make good on a payment would be an understatement. It sounds like the ripple effect was such that it went on to cost him a lot of future business. Check out a similar recent pro revenge story that we ran where a man tried to stiff an IT employee, and ended up being served a mechanics lien.

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  • 01
    Font - r/ProRevenge u/WarLazy7979·5h + Join 1 1 3 1 Cheap client messed with the wrong freelancer I'm a self-employed content writer and I generally work freelance. I have sourced many clients through freelance websites, but some of my regulars I found through other channels or through recommendations. I sent a proposal to a client via a freelance website. He liked my work and he was happy with the work he had seen in my portfolio. He informed me the price for this project was $30 USD. It was a
    via u/WarLazy7979
  • 02
    Font - I completed that project quite quickly and the client asked me to work on the content for a few other websites. In most cases, the client sends me a list of pages or headings that need written content and I take it from there. Other clients will send me a link to a website with dummy text (lorem ispum) just to give me an idea of what needs to be written. Either way is fine for me as l've been doing this long enough to know what needs to be done.
    via u/WarLazy7979
  • 03
    Font - This particular client sent me the website links and asked me to check every page and write the required content. I did exactly that until I got to the section for blog content. I had already completed the rest of the content but as blogs would include a higher word count, I sent the client a message asking if he wanted a few blogs. Mind you, at the beginning of our contract I clearly stated that my word count was $40 per 1000 words. Most of the website pages come to about 1000 words, giv
    via u/WarLazy7979
  • 04
    Font - "Excuse me? How am I ripping you off?" He then proceeds to tell me that we had agreed to $30 per project and I had overcharged him. "Yes, we agreed on the price per project but I also specifically asked you if you wanted the blogs as they would be extra." Nope, he wasn't having any of that and not only did he reject the additional work, he also said the rest of the work was not up to par and he then refused to pay the entire invoice. "OK, but just so you know I am raising a dispute with t
    via u/WarLazy7979
  • 05
    Font - I don't know what he told the administrators of the platform but they took his side and refunded the deposit he had to place in their escrow account before I was able to start work. Of course, I appealed this decision and asked them to check the chat section as everything was clearly stated there. They did that and realized that they had indeed made a mistake and that I could pay a small fee (which would be refunded if the next ruling was in my favor) to escalate my appeal. Being the veng
    via u/WarLazy7979
  • 06
    Font - I don't know why, but something compelled me to check the websites I had worked on to see if my work was being used. Imagine my utter disgust to see all of my content, including the blogs this a hole claimed he never wanted, all over these 2 websites. To say I was pissed is an understatement. I immediately contacted the freelance platform and advised them that my work is being used despite the fact that I was not paid for it. The person dealing with my appeal asked if I had proof so I sen
    via u/WarLazy7979
  • 07
    Font - I was then advised that this amounted to fraud and theft. No kidding? Until I received payment, all that content was technically still my property. The person from the platform's support then asked me if I would like to make an official legal report, keeping in mind that we weren't really talking about a huge amount of money and it was usually enough to threaten the content thief to get them to honor their payments. "Nope, this is no longer about money. If this guy has done this to me, ha
    via u/WarLazy7979
  • 08
    Font - The freelance platform then paid me what I was owed and told me they would go after the thieving client for what they had paid me, the cost of my escalating this issue and any other expenses the platform incurred pursuing this matter. That nasty client was charged with theft of intellectual property and had to reimburse his clients after having to remove my content from their websites. This prompted them to leave him not so favorable reviews which has cost him a lot of future business. I
    via u/WarLazy7979

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