Complaining about an old gig

[vinceb1678]

I paid a fiverr pro to build a website over a year ago, since then he seems to have destroyed the website on the hosting platform - I am trying to get it fixed and appear Ely he removed the database from the hosting platform and is not proving mE with the database so I can rectify the problem.  I have complained to fiverr but nothing seems to be getting done.  Any advice will be appreciated 

[vinceb1678]

Can you name and shame sellers who do not provide all the info and details they should?  I only realised after I had accepted and now they are asking for more money. I have complained to fiverr but they seem to ignore all my requests / complaints 

[vinceb1678]

Word of warning - he built a website and then logged into my hosting and removed the database and is now asking money to reinstate it.  Stay away from this guy - I have spent well over £500 with this guy but he is not to be trusted.  He has further blocked me, fiverr dont seem to care 

[vinceb1678]

Word of warning - this guy is called [***], he built a website and then logged into your hosting and removed the database.  He is now asking for money for to reinstate and although complaining to fiverr they have not done anything about it.  I spent over £500 with this guy and he should have provided me the database when built but it’s my bad I didn’t ask him for it.  Use this guy with caution 

[vinceb1678]

Here is the link.  He has blocked me now and does not allow me to communicate with him - all I want is the the database so I can reinstate the website otherwise it’s been a complete waste of money and time 

Edited February 25 by imagination7413
Link removed.

[vinceb1678]

I used a developer [***] on fiverr and all seemed well, a year after he removed the database from my hosting company and is asking for money to reinstate it.  My experience on trying to contact and complain to fiverr has not been good as they do not reply and furthermore you cannot go back and change the reviews and ratings that I gave him.  All I want is for him to reinstate the website but he is refusing to do this unless I pay him money again - surely he should have provided me with the database when I completed the project - my naivety I did not request.  Please be warned 

Edited February 25 by imagination7413
Username removed.

[msw_77]

1 hour ago, vinceb1678 said:

I used a developer [***] on fiverr and all seemed well, a year after he removed the database from my hosting company and is asking for money to reinstate it.  My experience on trying to contact and complain to fiverr has not been good as they do not reply and furthermore you cannot go back and change the reviews and ratings that I gave him.  All I want is for him to reinstate the website but he is refusing to do this unless I pay him money again - surely he should have provided me with the database when I completed the project - my naivety I did not request.  Please be warned 

Are you sure you own pay for the hosting services?
Because there is a possibility that the developer published the website on his own web hosting service and it renews every year

[vinceb1678]

Thanks @webcut I have contacted them on a number of occasions and have not even acknowledged my messages.  Not sure what else I can do.  The developer in question has blocked me as well

[vinceb1678]

I pay for it, I use bluehost and it was hosted there.  I have been speaking to them and they say it was purposely removed a couple of months ago.  He was the only person with the login. [***] said he can sort it for me for money.  This isn’t what I would expect after paying him over £500. Any advice on what I can do here?

Edited February 25 by imagination7413
Username removed.

[msw_77]

1 hour ago, vinceb1678 said:

I pay for it, I use bluehost and it was hosted there.  I have been speaking to them and they say it was purposely removed a couple of months ago.  He was the only person with the login. [***] said he can sort it for me for money.  This isn’t what I would expect after paying him over £500. Any advice on what I can do here?

In that case the developer shouldn't be asking for money as he is not maintaining the website etc. 
I'm sure he didn't accept that he deleted the files so can you tell what reason he gave that how suddenly the files are missing?

[vinceb1678]

He is saying that I did it, I wouldn’t even know how to do it.  I am not a developer and have no idea what / how to use host wesbites.  He is saying that I logged in and removed it - i only found out about it when I went to the website.  The problem is I didn’t back up (again I am a novice).  Because I have said I will report him he is now saying he no longer has a copy and will have to start from scratch.  I have no idea what to do now 

[vinceb1678]

I used a developer [***] who decided to log into my hosting service and remove all the files without mY permission.  He is now saying in order to retrieve the files I need to pay him. 
I have spoken to the hosting company and they don’t have any backups.  Any ideas please on how I can get my website back that I have paid him for?!

Edited February 25 by imagination7413
Username removed.

[imagination7413]

11 hours ago, vinceb1678 said:

Can you name and shame

The rules are at the top of every forum page.

Quote

I'm sorry to hear you're going through this, but Fiverr Staff are rarely on the forums. We on the forums only have your half of the story, which is why naming other users isn't permitted, as they have no way to defend themselves.

On-topic:

2 hours ago, vinceb1678 said:

he is refusing to do this unless I pay him money again - surely he should have provided me with the database when I completed the project - my naivety I did not request.

If 'database' wasn't a part of the original Order contract when you ordered from the Seller, then it's perfectly in the Seller's rights to request payment. (That said, if the Seller is requesting payment outside of the Fiverr platform, yes that is a ToS violation.)

If the Seller is requesting an unusually high amount, then... yeah, there's a major problem. Fiverr cannot force the Seller to give what it doesn't have access to. 

The only other approach I can think of that you can take is that the Seller failed to deliver the original product, since they've rescinded your access. The problem is that the order was 'completed' a year ago, and might not be eligible for cancelation. (See the Terms of Service section 5.1, and Payment Terms section 6.) 

As for changing your review on the Seller... I'm not sure. the ToS section 5.3 and the linked Help Center page aren't much help, I'll agree, unless there is, quote, "a clear terms of service violation". 

About the only other thing I can caution in regards to Customer Support is to NOT open multiple tickets. They really don't like that. You could try to politely request they escalate the issue.

---

I know you're out of posts for today, they should refresh in 24 hours. 

[carineb]

13 hours ago, vinceb1678 said:

 He was the only person with the login.

You've been very naive!
Do you leave your house keys with the locksmith who installed the lock on your front door?

Check with your hosting company to see if they have a backup.

The lesson to remember: always change your passwords once the freelancer's work is done!

[vinceb1678]

Agreed although I used him a number of times afterwards and spent a lot of money with him so would have thought he would be honourable.

I have also had a warning from fiverr to say I shouldn’t be slandering people.  This is a last resort for me as I have tried to contact him on a number of occasions and he has now blocked me.  
 

fiverr should be reaching out to him and investigating as opposed to giving me a warning - surely other people that use him should be informed of his shady practice 

[vinceb1678]

13 hours ago, imagination7413 said:

The rules are at the top of every forum page.

I'm sorry to hear you're going through this, but Fiverr Staff are rarely on the forums. We on the forums only have your half of the story, which is why naming other users isn't permitted, as they have no way to defend themselves.

On-topic:

If 'database' wasn't a part of the original Order contract when you ordered from the Seller, then it's perfectly in the Seller's rights to request payment. (That said, if the Seller is requesting payment outside of the Fiverr platform, yes that is a ToS violation.)

If the Seller is requesting an unusually high amount, then... yeah, there's a major problem. Fiverr cannot force the Seller to give what it doesn't have access to. 

The only other approach I can think of that you can take is that the Seller failed to deliver the original product, since they've rescinded your access. The problem is that the order was 'completed' a year ago, and might not be eligible for cancelation. (See the Terms of Service section 5.1, and Payment Terms section 6.) 

As for changing your review on the Seller... I'm not sure. the ToS section 5.3 and the linked Help Center page aren't much help, I'll agree, unless there is, quote, "a clear terms of service violation". 

About the only other thing I can caution in regards to Customer Support is to NOT open multiple tickets. They really don't like that. You could try to politely request they escalate the issue.

---

I know you're out of posts for today, they should refresh in 24 hours. 

Thank you, it’s strange that fiverr don’t want to know.  Surely they want ethical sellers on their platform, giving buyers a good experience which will make the buyer come back for more.

 

i agree it’s my word against his, I am more than happy for him to come and defend himself but ultimately all I want is the database so I can keep operating the website I paid for.  All developers I speak to say he should still have this.  

This has become painful, and gen fiverr has given me a warning for slandering him instead of offering to help or provide some level of mediation 

[carineb]

Your freelancer is a scammer. You've been scammed. Fiverr won't do anything... Move on.

Check if your site has been archived by archive.org
If so, ask a freelancer to redo it for you.

From now on, keep your site files, change your passwords... and don't trust anyone.

Edited February 26 by carineb

[imagination7413]

7 hours ago, vinceb1678 said:

fiverr should be reaching out to him and investigating as opposed to giving me a warning

These are not mutually exclusive. Fiverr NEVER shares information on, nor results of, investigations. Investigations also take time. How long ago did you first reach out to CS? 

7 hours ago, vinceb1678 said:

Thank you, it’s strange that fiverr don’t want to know.  Surely they want ethical sellers on their platform, giving buyers a good experience which will make the buyer come back for more.

It's not that Fiverr doesn't want to get rid of bad Sellers. It's contracts. I suspect the problem is that this order was from a year ago. You agreed (at the time) that the order was complete. In Fiverr's view, the contract was complete. Now you are claiming a breach of contract, while at the same time saying the order was fulfilled. Until now, you were a satisfied customer.

Yes, Fiverr wants return Buyers. It's why the site is set up to minimize barriers to buy. Unfortunately there's the 'human element' to mess things up. Fiverr has no barrier to entry, on either the Seller nor Buyer side. 

8 hours ago, vinceb1678 said:

i agree it’s my word against his, I am more than happy for him to come and defend himself but ultimately all I want is the database so I can keep operating the website I paid for.  All developers I speak to say he should still have this.  

Unless he was an amateur. That would explain the high cost, if the Seller didn't keep the project, as it would have to be rebuilt. That wouldn't explain why he's holding your site hostage, though...

8 hours ago, vinceb1678 said:

I have tried to contact him on a number of occasions and he has now blocked me.  

Could you elaborate on this? Do you mean that you cannot message the Seller though the Fiverr system? If so, is the Seller's profile still up? If not, then it's possible that the Seller was indeed banned, and the block is because the profile no longer exists.