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[Lisa Preston]

Natasha Cooper of EnglishSkills.com

In mid-December, 2007, Natasha Cooper purchased my WSO - a graphics package for $27.
Natasha loved my work and we discussed redesigning her website, and adding a self-hosted autoresponder.
Natasha hired me to begin work on the autoresponder - she wanted to purchase the script, wanted it customized, installed, and tutorials on how to run the autoresponder. The cost was $197.

Once customized, installed and tutorials uploaded, a restriction on her own hosting service caused an issue accessing her database. I let her know that everything was completed and on her server, but she would need to contact the support desk of her host to resolve the restriction.

She asked me to contact them on her behalf, in case there were questions. I agreed.

Before the day was out, Natasha filed a PayPal dispute, and then within minutes, escalated it to a claim. She told PayPal she had not received her product.

I refuted the claim, showing correspondence and screen shots of the product installed on her server.

After the 30 day waiting period, Natasha's claim was denied, and the funds released back to me. In the interim, the support desk resolved the issue with her database, allowing her full access to her product.

She did not lift the claim, even after full access was granted.

Instead, she filed a SECOND claim - for the original $27 graphics package she purchased (and was so delighted with) back in December. Because the allowed time frame for disputes through PayPal had long passed, she instead applied for a chargeback through her credit card. Again, she indicated that she did not receive her product.

Again I refuted that claim, and also am reporting fraudulent and abusive chargebacks from this user. In speaking to PayPal, they take this kind of abuse seriously, and she may lose her privilege to use their service as a result.

I am awaiting the resolution to this matter now. I will update this post when resolved.

[Rick Wilson]

Instead, she filed a SECOND claim - for the original $27 graphics package she purchased (and was so delighted with) back in December. Because the allowed time frame for disputes through PayPal had long passed, she instead applied for a chargeback through her credit card. Again, she indicated that she did not receive her product.

Again I refuted that claim, and also am reporting fraudulent and abusive chargebacks from this user. In speaking to PayPal, they take this kind of abuse seriously, and she may lose her privilege to use their service as a result.

I am awaiting the resolution to this matter now. I will update this post when resolved.

Since PayPal has to abide by the credit card companies "chargeback rules", PayPal can't stop a chargeback if the CC companies allow it. The only thing they (PP) CAN do is drop her PP account and not let her use PP again. That would be poetic justice at the very least. CC companies are very reluctant to go against their customers, though.

But obviously you have CYA'd yourself really well so you've probably got a good chance of winning.

Good Luck! Hope this works out for you!


 

[Lisa Preston]

Yeah... It's not even about the measly $27.
This is completely about the principle - as I stated in another thread, i am so done with just "giving in" and chalking it up to a cost of doing business. Thieves need to be stopped, but until honest marketers stand up and say what's happening is wrong, and stop rolling over and taking the easy route, it'll continue to happen.
But never again with me.
Don't get me wrong - I will gladly hand money back to someone to honour a guarantee, or if the product wasn't what they thought. I don't have a problem with someone coming to me honestly. I just despise sneaky, lying thieves.

[Mike Ambrosio]

Thieves need to be stopped, but until honest marketers stand up and say what's happening is wrong, and stop rolling over and taking the easy route, it'll continue to happen.

Unfortunately, there's WAY too many thieves out there. No matter how many honest marketers stand up, it will continue to happen.

But it's Oh So Fun when they get denied their claim by Paypal....it does my little heart good.

 

[Lisa Preston]

*UPDATE*

Well, she's at it again!

This lying thief Natasha Cooper from EnglishSkills.com has now filed a chargeback with her credit card company since she lost her claim through PayPal. I am phoning PayPal in the morning to deal with this, as I should be covered by the "Seller Protection" policy, especially since I can provide screen shots and whatnot.

I obviously won the PayPal dispute, I'm really pissed off that she was allowed to file an additional chargeback. You shouldn't be allowed to do that. Now it's simply harassment.

[Joseph Ratliff]

Lisa,  I feel for you...I have been in a similar situation with one copywriting client.

The really sad thing is, you are the one fighting and wasting your time over money that is rightfully yours.

All this Natasha thief had to do was push a button, or make a quick phone call.  Minutes of her time...yet hours of yours to claim the profits you deserve...and on top of that, you have probably lost all the profits from this project when claiming the time it has taken you to fight for your money.  That really sucks.

It's a sad world we live in.   

[Floyd Fisher]

*UPDATE*

Well, she's at it again!

This lying thief Natasha Cooper from EnglishSkills.com has now filed a chargeback with her credit card company since she lost her claim through PayPal. I am phoning PayPal in the morning to deal with this, as I should be covered by the "Seller Protection" policy, especially since I can provide screen shots and whatnot.

I obviously won the PayPal dispute, I'm really pissed off that she was allowed to file an additional chargeback. You shouldn't be allowed to do that. Now it's simply harassment.

Unfortunately, she is filing through a bank who doesn't know she filed a paypal claim earlier.

You really should call the bank in question, and explain your side of the story.  I'm sure their fraud department would love to hear it (and possibly file charges against her).   

[Lisa Preston]

Part of the PayPal policy is to do exactly that.
They "represent" you in the complaint, and present the evidence on your behalf.
There's no way for me to know which card she used, as her payment was through PayPal, and the private details remain private for her credit card.

I am 1000% following through with making sure this thief is "outed", and I am also going to file a harassment claim with PayPal so she will be shown for the liar she is. They will revoke her PayPal status, I've already been told.

[walshj99]

Is the same Natasha Cooper of Natasha Cooper leads? 

Her leads stink.   I'm a Melaleuca rep and she was promoting "fresh" Melaleuca leads for $1 each.   They were advertised as leads which had been recently contacted and were specifically interested in joining Melaleuca.   

Needless to say, of the 50 leads I purchased, a grand total of 0 had ever even heard of Melaleuca and many had not shown any interest in starting a home based business in months.   Several did not speak any english.   

What a waste of my money.   Well, I'm quickly learning that leads in general are a waste of money but good lord. . . 

[Lisa Preston]

It truly wouldn't surprise me, I can't imagine there'd be two rip off artists named Natasha Cooper!!
If it isn't the same one, how weird is that???

[kcox]

Just a suggestion but if you still have the details for the login (admin rights) of the website you could change login details preventing her from  update the website, then if you do lose your case and have to refund her then you could remove the website you built edit it and sell it on. 

I know someone who simply removed the index when a customer refused to pay for the work, as you can guess this customer soon changed their mind and payed up.

You may want to check this is legal but I cannot see why it would not be after all it is your time and effort that has been wasted and you and if she does not wish to pay for it then it is not hers to use.
 

[Lisa Preston]

kcox:

It is most definitely illegal, unfortunately.

I was given access to this client's server for a single purpose. If I go beyond the bounds of that and cause damage to her site, server, and by association her business, I can be sued.

I know it sounds like a satisfying trump card to have, and I'm sure it's tempting to some, but I refuse to lower myself the the thief's level. I play within the law, and hope I come out on top more often than not.

[BigDog from Oz]

Its a shame Lisa that it is illegal.  These types of people seem to have the legal system as backup no matter what they do.

I'm glad you had luck with Paypal anyway cos I didn't have much luck when I provided proof (an email from the customer advising that she had received the product).  They ended up refunding the money.  It was only $7 but like you said it's the principal, the customer received the product so why should they get the money back.  I even stated in their follow-up survey that they were supporting theft by their actions lol.

Anyway, I hope things go well with the Bank side and she gets some Karma return to her. . . 

Cheers
Col

[Jeffery]

Hi Lisa,

This small suggestion may help in the future. When I create websites for unrefereed clients I do not publish the website on their domain name. I publish the website under one of my own domain names on the client's host. The client views the site, tests any web applications, etc. and when the client is satisfied they PayPal me the funds for Services. Next, I publish the site anew under their domain name. Keep in mind it is on the same host, so no compatibility issues with autoresponders, mysql, etc.

Another small suggestion related to the above. Before I transfer the site to the client I propose two additional offers. The offers are critical to a commerce site and the clients always accept. Even a scammer would not find it in their best interest to file a dispute. It would be a major loss to them in terms of ROI.

Jeffery 100%

[Lisa Preston]

Jeffrey -
That doesn't apply. The full payment was made up front. The script worked fine, I use it myself. The problem was with HER HOST, they had bungled their setup of her databases. Instead of dealing with them, she filed a dispute.

She's a thief, plain and simple. She purchased first a graphics package from me, and loved it... as a result she purchased this script (customized) and installed on her server. She paid for both, and then filed chargebacks on both MONTHS AFTER.