- Impact
- 128
I was slumming over at DP last week 
and after responding to a few partnership posts I started working with a guy that seemed sincere.
To make a long (and embarrassing) story short, I didn't just fork over money to someone I didn't know. But after paying for a domain name, hosting, and $120 for a used vBulletin license I was able to discover my partner was using a shill to "sell" a license he already owned. We were try to work up to my paying $350 to persons unknown (PayPal email address only) who had a "team" that would populate our new forum with about 4,000 original posts.
As my "partner" answered fewer and fewer of my questions with valid answers I started to smell a rat. Some Google searches turned up some proof I needed to pull the pull on him. "Hey, what are you doing? I'm not a scammer!"
I filed a dispute at PayPal and the seller folded quickly and returned my money. So in the end I lost two days of work, $10 for a forum domain I don't need, and $8 for a month's hosting at HostGator.
I'm posting because I got off easy, but it could have been much, much worse did I not have the attitude of "never trust anyone on the Internet". Those that are more trusting than me could find themselves taken to cleaners.
So if you are thinking about working with some person long on ideas and energy, go ahead. There are many people outside the US in poorer countries that will work hard and create something great with your investment and guidance. Just to write a blank check and avoid any responsibility for what happens.
Keep as much control as possible and when the person proves to be worthy, turn over the ownership of the domain to them or give them something that shows you trust them. Just not everything and no more than you can afford to lose.
and after responding to a few partnership posts I started working with a guy that seemed sincere.To make a long (and embarrassing) story short, I didn't just fork over money to someone I didn't know. But after paying for a domain name, hosting, and $120 for a used vBulletin license I was able to discover my partner was using a shill to "sell" a license he already owned. We were try to work up to my paying $350 to persons unknown (PayPal email address only) who had a "team" that would populate our new forum with about 4,000 original posts.
As my "partner" answered fewer and fewer of my questions with valid answers I started to smell a rat. Some Google searches turned up some proof I needed to pull the pull on him. "Hey, what are you doing? I'm not a scammer!"
I filed a dispute at PayPal and the seller folded quickly and returned my money. So in the end I lost two days of work, $10 for a forum domain I don't need, and $8 for a month's hosting at HostGator.
I'm posting because I got off easy, but it could have been much, much worse did I not have the attitude of "never trust anyone on the Internet". Those that are more trusting than me could find themselves taken to cleaners.
So if you are thinking about working with some person long on ideas and energy, go ahead. There are many people outside the US in poorer countries that will work hard and create something great with your investment and guidance. Just to write a blank check and avoid any responsibility for what happens.
Keep as much control as possible and when the person proves to be worthy, turn over the ownership of the domain to them or give them something that shows you trust them. Just not everything and no more than you can afford to lose.
