Is Adam Dicker a criminal? You decide.

[S-B]

This story starts with DNF; a barren wasteland that once was a leading forum within the domain industry. While the forum itself played a huge role in propagating the myth that is Adam Dicker, the story really begins with DNF College in the summer of 2011.

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Updates / Reports
These are in no particular order.

• Report by headsupp (Resolved)
  • Relevant Videos
  • Reply to Adam
  • Update: Resolved
  
  
• Report by LannyB (Unresolved)
  • Response
    • Follow-up Questions
  
  
• Report by domainesque (Unresolved)
  • Update: Unresolved
  • Report Details
  • Update: Waiting on Refund
  
  
• Report of Shane Cultra's friends (Unresolved)
  • Update: Unpaid
  
  
• Report by Jeff Markus (Dissatisfied)
  
  
• Report by simmplex (Resolved)
  • Refunded
  
  
• Report by Blenja_Man (Pending)
  • Voucher
  • Update: Work in Progress
  
  
• Report by RandysDomains (Resolved)
  • Resolved
  
  
• Report by swamismith (Unresolved)
  
  
• Report by Charlie (Unresolved)
  • Cover-up
  • Update: Unresolved
  
  
• Report by Jaqpot (Unresolved)
  
  
• Report by anon22339 (Unresolved)
  • Details
  
  
• Report by Joseph Peterson (Resolved)
  • Update: Unpaid after 8 days
  • Update: Paid
  
  
• Report by Frank Schilling (Resolved)
  • Update: Paid
  
  
• Report by Lonewolf5503 (Paypal Dispute)
  • Update: Website not delivered and no longer accessible
  • Update: Lonewolf5503 wins PayPal dispute
  
  
• Report by GermanRaven (Unresolved)
  • Update: Full story
  
  
• Report by ClaudeDauman (Unresolved)
  
  
• Report by bobsranch (Unresolved)
  • Details
  • Update: Legal Letter Received
  
  
• Report by Newby888 (Unresolved)
  
  
• Report by dougasd (Unresolved)

From what I understand, Adam still owes north of $33,000 to previous customers and business partners. As I receive more information, I will update this figure.

 

[equity78]

When there is hyperbole, it usually is almost impossible to live up to the hype.

If it was easy to make $25,000 a month everyone would be doing it, web design and lead gen are hard work.

When people use terms like shitload of money or amounts that just seem way too high, you need to take a step back. The one beauty about the Internet is you can research just about anything, you can find people in every field and get basic answers.

People want to believe they will be the outlier, every once in awhile someone becomes the outlier. It is no way to plan your career or business. Every week someone wins the lottery, millions lose the lottery.

When I read Ben's story I am sorry to hear that he put his life savings into it, I am not sure why he did ? But I get it. We get excited working with people who have already been there done that, and been successful. It makes us not ask questions or set things up properly. I have been watching Horrible Bosses 2 on HBO a comedy, but some of it plays out in what new or little guys and girls do when entering into a partnership with an established big player.

Nick, Kurt and Dale were so happy to get a deal that they did nothing right, and it plays out in this scene. Spacey asks them why they wouldn't get 35% up front ?

In doing a deal with Adam there should have been a deposit made up front by Adam to secure a space so that you are not out in the cold if the deal doesn't work out. I agree with @discobull Adam did not gain anything by stringing him along, where Adam screwed up is over promising and having unrealistic expectations of success. Sometimes being unrealistic gets people hurt.

Whenever anyone has any opportunity presented to them come to a forum like Namepros or Warrior Forum, sure everyone will not agree but I am willing to bet there will be a few posts at least that open your eyes and mind to something you didn't see. Look a business can fail with everyone saying this looks great, you always need to prepare for failure.

 

[hookbox]

When there is hyperbole, it usually is almost impossible to live up to the hype.

If it was easy to make $25,000 a month everyone would be doing it, web design and lead gen are hard work.

When people use terms like sh*tload of money or amounts that just seem way too high, you need to take a step back. The one beauty about the Internet is you can research just about anything, you can find people in every field and get basic answers.

People want to believe they will be the outlier, every once in awhile someone becomes the outlier. It is no way to plan your career or business. Every week someone wins the lottery, millions lose the lottery.

When I read Ben's story I am sorry to hear that he put his life savings into it, I am not sure why he did ? But I get it. We get excited working with people who have already been there done that, and been successful. It makes us not ask questions or set things up properly. I have been watching Horrible Bosses 2 on HBO a comedy, but some of it plays out in what new or little guys and girls do when entering into a partnership with an established big player.

Nick, Kurt and Dale were so happy to get a deal that they did nothing right, and it plays out in this scene. Spacey asks them why they wouldn't get 35% up front ?

In doing a deal with Adam there should have been a deposit made up front by Adam to secure a space so that you are not out in the cold if the deal doesn't work out. I agree with @discobull Adam did not gain anything by stringing him along, where Adam screwed up is over promising and having unrealistic expectations of success. Sometimes being unrealistic gets people hurt.

Whenever anyone has any opportunity presented to them come to a forum like Namepros or Warrior Forum, sure everyone will not agree but I am willing to bet there will be a few posts at least that open your eyes and mind to something you didn't see. Look a business can fail with everyone saying this looks great, you always need to prepare for failure.

.

 

[main]

Throughout this thread, I keep thinking of the old business cliché to under promise and over deliver.

While that might not always be the best strategy, it certainly is a hell of a lot better than what people's claims of Adam are: over promise and under deliver.

 

[greggb]

Do you know what this story is lacking?

I'll tell you.

It's lacking sex. I mean like a male and a female with an unctrollable attraction to each other. Throw that in and I would probably read this beyond 500 words...

 

[franka46]

I'm sure your ego thinks you are but unfortunately you're just not. I am the original Shane. Here first, older, after this probably wiser, certainly faster and maybe even stronger. I realize you're enjoying the attention but I'm sure you'll do fine in your next line of work.

And his favourite nGTLD is.TOP ......lol

 

[ulterios]

Do you know what this story is lacking?

I'll tell you.

It's lacking sex. I mean like a male and a female with an unctrollable attraction to each other. Throw that in and I would probably read this beyond 500 words...

It has that doesn't it?

I could have sworn I heard someone mentioning something about getting:

 

[Abdillahi Abdillahi]

@Adam Dicker, you did not answer my question. Did you sign with your employees employment contracts? Other than the NDA? You mentioned WebCorp is trade name, so does that mean you have another name that is legal? If contract was signed , even the NDA, which business name was used ?

 

[frank-germany]

Adam said it was a trade name,

A trade name, trading name, or business name is a pseudonym used by companies to perform their business under a name that differs from the registered, legal name of the business. Trade names are typically used by companies to conduct their operations under a simpler brand as opposed to using their formal name within all public communications, or when a desired name was not able to be registered by the business operator, or if that business is owned by a separate company, franchisee, or a sole proprietorship.

The distinction between a registered legal name and a "fictitious" business name or trade name is important, as businesses with the latter give no obvious indication of the true identity of the entity that is legally responsible for their operation. Fictitious business names do not create legal entities in and of themselves; they are merely names assumed by existing persons or entities.[1] Legal agreements such as contracts are normally made under the registered legal name of the business or owner, and the legal name must be used whenever a business sues or is being sued.

In the United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Zimbabwe (as well as some parts of the United States), the phrase trading as (abbreviated t/a) is used to designate trade names. In Canada and the United States, the phrase "doing business as" (abbreviated DBA, dba, d.b.a. or d/b/a) is used. In English writing, trade names are generally treated as proper nouns.[2]

thank you
very helpfull

 

[frank-germany]

When there is hyperbole, it usually is almost impossible to live up to the hype.

If it was easy to make $25,000 a month everyone would be doing it, web design and lead gen are hard work.

When people use terms like sh*tload of money or amounts that just seem way too high, you need to take a step back. The one beauty about the Internet is you can research just about anything, you can find people in every field and get basic answers.

People want to believe they will be the outlier, every once in awhile someone becomes the outlier. It is no way to plan your career or business. Every week someone wins the lottery, millions lose the lottery.

When I read Ben's story I am sorry to hear that he put his life savings into it, I am not sure why he did ? But I get it. We get excited working with people who have already been there done that, and been successful. It makes us not ask questions or set things up properly. I have been watching Horrible Bosses 2 on HBO a comedy, but some of it plays out in what new or little guys and girls do when entering into a partnership with an established big player.

Nick, Kurt and Dale were so happy to get a deal that they did nothing right, and it plays out in this scene. Spacey asks them why they wouldn't get 35% up front ?

In doing a deal with Adam there should have been a deposit made up front by Adam to secure a space so that you are not out in the cold if the deal doesn't work out. I agree with @discobull Adam did not gain anything by stringing him along, where Adam screwed up is over promising and having unrealistic expectations of success. Sometimes being unrealistic gets people hurt.

Whenever anyone has any opportunity presented to them come to a forum like Namepros or Warrior Forum, sure everyone will not agree but I am willing to bet there will be a few posts at least that open your eyes and mind to something you didn't see. Look a business can fail with everyone saying this looks great, you always need to prepare for failure.

that pretty much sums it up

I feel the pain, as I have been a "victim" myself in other hypes
like stocks and other guru's visions

but thats part of the learning curve

you want to learn when to cut losses
and when to move on

you can't avoid to fail

you just want to do it in a way, that you can survive

 

[Jen-Sin]

Let's give @Adam Dicker some time to address/concede/refute all the allegations from the blog... but not too long.

First and most importantly, all the victims' issues should be taken care of... but not too long too.

 

[WebInvestments]

I'm sure I'm not alone in being very uncomfortable with the word "criminal" at the top of this thread in H1 tags all along. Does anybody agree that Shane should consider changing that word to something a little less extreme? "Is Adam Dicker unethical" would have a little less of a sting.... even "scammer" imho would be a little less extreme, although that may be subjective.

It's useless to expect good etiquettes from a person with Shane's history (no offense). Therefore, I'm not worried about Adam now as he has decided to resolve things in a decent way, but I do wonder if (and when) somehow tables turn, would Shane be able to survive in the industry? He's not an angel as we know of him.

For all the victims, I do hope they will get what's theirs.

 

[CloudTech]

Some guys here just see “over promising and under delivering” while I learned here maybe the smartest business plan on this planet.

I will take out 100 domains from my portfolio, and invite 100 developers as the project manager of each domain. If a project succeeds, I will take 80% of the profit. If a project fails, I will take back my domain, and have nothing to lose except the otherwise parking income. As for those managers of failed projects, I don't care as every project is a “so called” separate business. Repeat this again and again, I will soon get on the Forbes list.

 

[frank-germany]

Some guys here just see “over promising and under delivering” while I learned here maybe the smartest business plan on this planet.

I will take out 100 domains from my portfolio, and invite 100 developers as the project manager of each domain. If a project succeeds, I will take 80% of the profit. If a project fails, I will take back my domain, and have nothing to lose except the otherwise parking income. As for those managers of failed projects, I don't care as every project is a “so called” separate business. Repeat this again and again, I will soon get on the Forbes list.

that sounds like a plan

 

[Jen-Sin]

The recruitment:

I am looking for people that want to partner up with me and have the time to work full time on businesses that I will build. I do not have time to run them all but need good people that will make a 30-40% of the net revenue and I will teach you personally to build the business. This will start the second week of November after I get back from Traffic. There will be zero cost or investment, just time and hard work. Please post if interested.

This seems to cover Adam as there's no mention / promise that he would be injecting his own personal funds into these businesses. Just no cost or investment from the partners.

I do not pay company bills with anything other than comnpany money

You can't support a bad company with funds from a good one, if that company is going to make it, it has to stand on it's own.

I guess most people would had assumed that Adam would provide the funds, expertise and leadership, while the partners would provide the time and work.

I did.

 

[domaindevil]

Without knowing all the background info from all the people that feel that they have been scammed or how Adam has conducted his business:

Stuff like these happen everyday, everywhere. To me, this seems like an ordinary learn how to make $5,000/day "scam". There is no difference imo.

He made "getting rich by selling domains and building businesses" sound very easy to newbies - something that anyone could do. I´m sure he made lots of money by doing this but that does not mean that you can copy the same concept and earn the same. People tend to forget about timing, location and hard work. What worked 5-10 years ago will most probably not work today. Internet is changing rapidly. One Google algorithm update and you might lose all the revenue over one night.

It should be quite obvious that you will only get a reused WP-template when ordering from Nichewebsites. You could easily get the same thing done on oDesk of Elance for a fraction of that cost. And I guess alot of people have forgotten the most important thing when outsourcing web stuff: clear specifications, what is expected upon delivery, limitations, contracts.

Also, to include "SEO services" in your website packages while having basic SEO mistakes on the site can tell alot about your business and the quality of the services.

Just my 2 cents....

 

[WebInvestments]

Mistakes #3 is sending 3000USD upfront.... if you want a website developed, only pay up to 50% upfront, the rest after delivery. Just sayin.

edit: EXTREMELY risky to pay 100% upfront for anything if it is not immediately delivered.

Exactly, this and other mistakes from the buyers that we won't be seeing here on this forum.

O.K if the seller was full of con and buttering things, then I bet the buyers were also a bit greedy and uneducated about what they should do before they hire/join anyone's service/company. Ever heard of 'everything that glitters is not gold'.

And I bet many victims (not all, many) aren't sharing their complete agreement about the services they were promised. There's a lot of confusion when it comes to website development industry, especially these days with all the SEO and marketing thingy. So I am not saying people were over-promised, but may be, just may be, people hoped to receive above their expectations.

Conclusion: Just because buyers are less educated or haven't done their part of the research doesn't mean that they are fully innocent and the whole thing is seller's fault. I admit seller never delivered but still, use your mind, research skills and internet people. Penalty of greed and laziness should be there for such.lol.

PS: I still see many people are using this thread to reflect their personal emotions based on their own biased calculations (yes, biased), whereas there are very few who are going with facts and with the attitude of resolving things. I am with the ones who are with the victims and hope they get what's rightfully theirs and that this issue gets resolved asap. And I also hope, they will not give anyone a chance to become a victim of theirs in the future.

 

[discobull]

So I am not saying people were over-promised, but may be, just may be, people hoped to receive above their expectations.

I don't get it. How can you challenge the premise that people were over-promised when that is something that even Adam acknowledges?

 

[WebInvestments]

I don't get it. How can you challenge the premise that people were over-promised when that is something that even Adam acknowledges?

Please read the sentence again, not challenging anything here.

I said, 'may be', and believe me when I say it because there are people in this world who order a website design and expects a ready-to-launch website with content and SEO marketing. Although that's not what I meant here, just saying.

 

[discobull]

Please read the sentence again, not challenging anything here.

I said, 'may be', and believe me when I say it because there are people in this world who order a website design and expects a ready-to-launch website with content and SEO marketing. Although that's not what I meant here, just saying.

"So I am not saying people were over-promised"

There's no "maybe" in that part, just in your guess about what the alternative explanation might be. It sounds like maybe the sentence just wasn't worded the way you intended.

 

[D Haynes]

Alternatives:

"Adam Dicker gives people money....what ledger account did it come from?"
or
"Real Shane Is the Awesome"
or
"Lanny B - isn't that a pornstar?"
or
"Michael Cyger hangs our with Unethical People"
or
"Where's Ali ?"
or
"Adam takes employees on Vacation... "
or
"Dicker.. yes it has Dick in it and that's not funny, eh"
or
"Call the Police! The Mounted Police"
or
"Horton's: it's where no contract is not signed for work maybe done...(allegedly, it's NDA)"
or
"Adam Dicker at least he's not Bill Cosby"
or
"Shane Shane Shane...Look at me!"

Any more?

Classic lol