Another case never partner with someone that you dun truly know...

[jerry1874]

I just wanna share my experience from my past,hope you guys wont be like me, it was a disaster too and i still suffering form this bad experience.

3 years ago, i brought a few domains from this guy: hellodata.com/net , name Shane; and this guy is an web developer and own few domains, and we actually talked a lot on skype and became friends( but i never meet him in person). somehow we decided to make something together, and i was the one putting the money, and giving some ideas, and he does the works ( design and programming ) .. ( and i was really trusted him.. ) and he agree if i put down 6k for the project and i can get 50% of the project....

now the disaster comes. we were going to make a social media site, something like display your locations and seeing what things and status around, first i sent 4k for him, to develop the web.

1,2 months later, he said he needs more, and told me he is almost finish and the system is complicate than he thought. he needed the money to live saying he is putting all the time on this project and stuff.. and i send another 4k to him... and i knew there must be a catch cause i never see anything from him, but because i trusted him, so i convince myself.. and i sent it

till now, he never finish it ( been almost 3 years) ... everyweek i email him, and he barely reply me back, and i asked for my money back he rejected me.. it was really bad experience.

 

[mhdoc]

Thats called a "seminar" and every investor has them.

He can't pay you back because he has no money. He can't work on your project because he has to use his time for things that bring in money today.

Chasing lost money is a waste of time and energy. Learn from the experience but move on.

 

[Kate]

Hard to comment without knowing the exact circumstances but I suspect this was some sort of 'informal' agreement. It's ok for small assignments but complex projects need clear requirements, deadlines and milestones. Otherwise they easily turn into open-ended jobs and drag on forever...

If he says the project is "more complicated than he thought" that means the preliminary analysis probably wasn't thorough enough (or the requirements are evolving along the development). The more things drag on, the more people lose motivation. Some people are very good at getting small jobs done but can't handle complicated stuff well...

3 years later your concept might very well be outdated by now.

 

[FPForum]

Sorry to hear about your bad experience. Almost everyone in this industry (or really, any investment type industry) has had a bad one at some time or another! Can't really say too much else since I wasn't in your place, but sending an additional $4k without seeing anything was just crazy. My guess would be he took your $4k, lived off it and came back to you once he ran out. You must have really had some trust in this guy!

Is there any other information you can share? Maybe you should at least go posting his info all around the web or something. Full Name? Address? Bank Account Details?

 

[mhdoc]

There is a saying in the auto industry " You are never so slick you can't be greased again." Active investors ALL have occasional bad deals no matter how careful they are. If you wait until you are certain the deal will be gone.

The main thing is to learn from the experience and try to do better the next time. ANY time or energy you spend on chasing the lost money is time and energy you could have invested into something which might be profitable & fun.

 

[jerry1874]

yea.. i really learn this time, should have some sort of agreements, actually we did have on google driver but its just saying we have what % of share of this project , and the site is going to have which functions....

i didnt really wanna post his details up actually, cause this 3 years i have been really tiring too.( i have been thinking about this case many many nights, emails him everyweek, cause i have a baby now too i know i cant just focus on this bad experience ) and i mean i cant force him to pay me back or finish the project either way.. but i was really trusted him you were right... its not 100% about the money to be honest, is just i couldn't never imagine things could turn out like this..

 

[jerry1874]

Thats called a "seminar" and every investor has them.

He can't pay you back because he has no money. He can't work on your project because he has to use his time for things that bring in money today.

Chasing lost money is a waste of time and energy. Learn from the experience but move on.

yea... thats actually what hes said, he is working on the other stuff to keep his life going on, and if i can put in more money he can work on our project again.. thats pretty much he meant

 

[mhdoc]

If you had had an agreement how would it help you now? With an agreement, in the US, you could take him to court & get a judgment (The legal right to take wages or assets to repay you.) Unfortunately, if he has no assets there isn't much you can do. Thats why chasing lost money is so pointless.

This is also the situation where people frequently start using the word "dishonest". I know nothing about this guys circumstances, but there are lots of reasons why he might find himself in this situation. Someone got sick, someone lost a job, all his jobs took longer than he expected, etc. People make mistakes.

I actually find it surprising he still responds at all. Most folks in his situation vanish completely I would take that as evidence he had good intentions but made mistakes or had unexpected problems along the way.

 

[DnEbook]

Send the 'boys' around if you know what i mean ........just joking

 

[matrigaldo]

He had to be very good if he earned your trust without even knowing you...
It's a bad situation, unfortunately I think you should just move on and learn from this experience (and you did I guess)

 

[Tia Wood]

Have you asked for the code he's been working on that you could take to another developer to complete?

 

[FPForum]

Have you asked for the code he's been working on that you could take to another developer to complete?

I agree with this completely, along with what some of the others have said. You've been talking to him for this long (which is still a good sign) and he owes you..I think it's only right he send you what you've paid for (all current code). Let him know you've got someone lined up and ready to begin work on it. At least you can get the current work from him and make sure something has been done. If he tells you he lost it (or doesn't have it) then I think that's a clear sign he probably never worked on it in the first place. At that point, you may want to begin posting his info all around the web because it's likely a scam. By now, what do you have to lose? Other than him still trying to get more money out of you.