Jeff Rickel of jrthedj.com; a returning client contacted Vortex Web Design LLC asking that we take a look at his website to check for possible errors that could be easily fixed, client was complaining of problems with the calendar script and email page of the site not working.
After going through some of the site files it was determined that it would cost more to try to fix the issues then to update the entire web site, it was also determined that the site files were too old and had big gaps in security – the site had been hacked and it would happen again.
The client was notified and agreed to a $800 dollar upgrade, we agreed that it would take $300 to get the project started.
The client backed out of the deal the following day, this was his choice and I had no problems but I felt he owed me for the time invested, I sent the client a invoice for $166.00
The client has been totally upset at me sending him a invoice and has called it harassment.
I have explained, I am not in business to provide free services, I half to make a living. Jeff Rickel don’t see the logic in this and has decided to not pay me, threatened me with a restraining order and just causing a bunch of drama, has had the police department contact me (they can’t do anything, I am doing nothing illegal)
This is not a personal attack on Jeff Rickel it simply comes down to a company (Vortex web Design LLC) wanting paid for services rendered.
Vortex Web Design LLC has up to this point been ripped off by Jeff Rickel (aka: JRtheDJ.com) and I hope this sends a clear message to anyone wanting to do business with Jeff Rickel or JRtheDJ to get your money upfront before investing your time. Jeff was a former client so I trusted him, my mistake please don’t let it be yours.
I have included most of the relevant email and phone conversations to this report.
On 5/9/2017 I received a email from Jeff Rickel owner of JRtheDJ explaining he was told that the calendar script on his website had been hacked with malware. Jeff provided all the log-in information.
On 5/9/2017 I did find some time to go look at the “JRtheDJ” website. I remembered building this web site back in 1990, it was really outdated, before I could respond I received another email.
On 5/9/2017 I receive a second email from Jeff Rickel telling me “I got the calendar to open and post so that part is working right.”
On 6/9/2017 I sent a email to Jeff Rickel telling him I had been swamped with work but he really needed to update his web site and to contact me if he had any questions.
On 8/18/2017 I sent another email to Jeff Rickel explaining that I had some extra time and I would make him a great deal on a new web site.
On 8/29/2017 I received a phone call from Jeff Rickel explaining how his e-mail and calendar was not working – I told him I would look into the problem and get back with him.
I did log into the server and download a few of the files on the sever thinking that if I did see anything out of place I could just replace it.
The htaccess. file told me that the web site was built with “Front Page Software”, this software is no-longer used so any edits to the main html files would be risky.
I didn’t see anything visible in my search
I downloaded the calendar script, this was a old – out of date script – after some time of searching I come to the conclusion it would be quicker, less expensive and safer to build a new web site.
On 8/29/2017 I called Jeff Rickel to explain that he needed to upgrade his web site and suggested WordPress, Jeff agreed and I gave him a quote of $800 dollars - $300 down, Jeff said he could do that, I explained that I would send him a invoice by PayPal to get started and that in the meantime he could be looking for a new (template) or “look and feel” for the new website and I would send him a link, Jeff said ok and we ended the call.
On 8/29/2017 I sent a email to Jeff Rickel explaining where he could go look at the WordPress Templates – I also explained the fact that I was not a expert in WordPress but I have experience working in the program and I felt confident in my ability to build him a great site. I also explained it would take 1 to 4 weeks to build the site, I was thinking less then 2 weeks but wanted to give myself plenty of time.
On 8/29/2017 I sent a invoice to JRtheDJ (Jeff Rickel’s Company) for $800 with a min payment of $300 as agreed.
On 8/29/2017 I tried to call Jeff Rickel and was told he had left for a meeting and would not return until around 10pm that night, I asked if I could call back and was told it would be no problem, they stay up late at night. At around 10:30pm I tried calling Jeff back and received no answer but I do believe I left a message for him to contact me.
On 8/30/2017 I sent a email to Jeff Rickel asking him to contact me ASAP
On 8/30/2017 I received a phone call from Jeff Rickel, Jeff explained that he didn’t know who was going to build the new site, I said, “I thought you had made a deal with me to build the new web site”, Jeff said he didn’t want to argue about it, I said fine and we ended the phone call.
On 8/30/2017 I sent Jeff Rickel a email “Jeff, I honestly don’t believe what you just did but that’s ok, whatever. I did work on the site – you will be billed for that time sense you are not going to go through with the web site update as agreed, IP reports will prove I was on the site for over 1.4 hours at $119 per hour.”
Correction – I was not only relying on IP reports, but the time spent downloading and searching though the files.
On 8/30/2017 I corrected the invoice to reflect wat happened and why Jeff Rickel was being charged $166.00 for the time spent working on the website.
On 8/30/2017 I received a email from Jeff Rickel
“David - First of all, I was seeking answers when I called you with regards to the website (emails and calendar not working). You suggested looking at the new ones, and I did stay up and study the templates. As I told you by phone, I get calls sometimes as many at 10 a week, all on how they can make the internet site be more "visible" or keep it on the front page or upgrade it. And most I know are scams.
Had to call go daddy today because my email isn't working - that was the reason I called you on Monday. They tested them and said they were working fine, they probably had been hacked and had a line of text added - said they a webmaster should provide support. Go daddy said if they can put together a website like this they should be able to find the problem fast. They also said some good things about the site, but that it was getting out-of-date. Of the dozen or so calls I made most say there support team gets things done the same day (2 days at most) for almost all problems. I just checked the emails and calendar and neither one are currently working, yet there's a new invoice in my inbox. I should be looking for work, but feel I have a problem with no emails getting to me through this website. And I can't afford to wait another month to have the site put together. There are other companies that do these sites, that I can get a contract that will support the site.
I probably do need a new site, I liked the looks of several I saw on the net, but once again, I CAN"T afford to have nothing on the internet for a month. While I know you said you haven't worked with word press much - the other companies say they can put it together in less than a week to 10 days.
I'm currently down in income about $5,000 this year - I'm missing additional income that I was getting through Amazon because they changed a policy (another $100-$200 per week). I've got an incurable health issue that is limiting my abilities to work and do other things.
Jeff Rickel”
My response to this email:
Nothing that Jeff has said changes the fact that work was performed on his web site, he was informed of how to fix the main issue; the website being out of date.
This is simple: you don’t ask a company to spend time working on your web site then not pay for it
On 9/3/2017 I receive a email from Jeff Rickel “People get paid for doing work and actually fixing something. This continued harassment will get you in trouble legally.”
On 9/4/2017 I received a email from Jeff Rickel “I've talked to both the Lexington Police Department twice and Gary Bishop, Richland County Prosecutor about your business tactics. You ARE ordered to stop calling, using any source of telecommunications, visiting any of my public shows or any other type of communication with me or any relative in the area. The report you plan on launching on the internet is criminally illegal and will be dealt with. Tomorrow I will have a restraining order put in place, and will be seeking advice from my attorney. You feel this money is owed, file small claims or civil action - I will be happy to tell my side of this story there.
Jeff Rickel”
Everything I have said is the truth, and there is nothing that can turn back the clock – I want paid the time invested.
JR the DJ Reviews
Jeff Rickel of jrthedj.com; a returning client contacted Vortex Web Design LLC asking that we take a look at his website to check for possible errors that could be easily fixed, client was complaining of problems with the calendar script and email page of the site not working.
After going through some of the site files it was determined that it would cost more to try to fix the issues then to update the entire web site, it was also determined that the site files were too old and had big gaps in security – the site had been hacked and it would happen again.
The client was notified and agreed to a $800 dollar upgrade, we agreed that it would take $300 to get the project started.
The client backed out of the deal the following day, this was his choice and I had no problems but I felt he owed me for the time invested, I sent the client a invoice for $166.00
The client has been totally upset at me sending him a invoice and has called it harassment.
I have explained, I am not in business to provide free services, I half to make a living. Jeff Rickel don’t see the logic in this and has decided to not pay me, threatened me with a restraining order and just causing a bunch of drama, has had the police department contact me (they can’t do anything, I am doing nothing illegal)
This is not a personal attack on Jeff Rickel it simply comes down to a company (Vortex web Design LLC) wanting paid for services rendered.
Vortex Web Design LLC has up to this point been ripped off by Jeff Rickel (aka: JRtheDJ.com) and I hope this sends a clear message to anyone wanting to do business with Jeff Rickel or JRtheDJ to get your money upfront before investing your time. Jeff was a former client so I trusted him, my mistake please don’t let it be yours.
I have included most of the relevant email and phone conversations to this report.
On 5/9/2017 I received a email from Jeff Rickel owner of JRtheDJ explaining he was told that the calendar script on his website had been hacked with malware. Jeff provided all the log-in information.
On 5/9/2017 I did find some time to go look at the “JRtheDJ” website. I remembered building this web site back in 1990, it was really outdated, before I could respond I received another email.
On 5/9/2017 I receive a second email from Jeff Rickel telling me “I got the calendar to open and post so that part is working right.”
On 6/9/2017 I sent a email to Jeff Rickel telling him I had been swamped with work but he really needed to update his web site and to contact me if he had any questions.
On 8/18/2017 I sent another email to Jeff Rickel explaining that I had some extra time and I would make him a great deal on a new web site.
On 8/29/2017 I received a phone call from Jeff Rickel explaining how his e-mail and calendar was not working – I told him I would look into the problem and get back with him.
I did log into the server and download a few of the files on the sever thinking that if I did see anything out of place I could just replace it.
The htaccess. file told me that the web site was built with “Front Page Software”, this software is no-longer used so any edits to the main html files would be risky.
I didn’t see anything visible in my search
I downloaded the calendar script, this was a old – out of date script – after some time of searching I come to the conclusion it would be quicker, less expensive and safer to build a new web site.
On 8/29/2017 I called Jeff Rickel to explain that he needed to upgrade his web site and suggested WordPress, Jeff agreed and I gave him a quote of $800 dollars - $300 down, Jeff said he could do that, I explained that I would send him a invoice by PayPal to get started and that in the meantime he could be looking for a new (template) or “look and feel” for the new website and I would send him a link, Jeff said ok and we ended the call.
On 8/29/2017 I sent a email to Jeff Rickel explaining where he could go look at the WordPress Templates – I also explained the fact that I was not a expert in WordPress but I have experience working in the program and I felt confident in my ability to build him a great site. I also explained it would take 1 to 4 weeks to build the site, I was thinking less then 2 weeks but wanted to give myself plenty of time.
On 8/29/2017 I sent a invoice to JRtheDJ (Jeff Rickel’s Company) for $800 with a min payment of $300 as agreed.
On 8/29/2017 I tried to call Jeff Rickel and was told he had left for a meeting and would not return until around 10pm that night, I asked if I could call back and was told it would be no problem, they stay up late at night. At around 10:30pm I tried calling Jeff back and received no answer but I do believe I left a message for him to contact me.
On 8/30/2017 I sent a email to Jeff Rickel asking him to contact me ASAP
On 8/30/2017 I received a phone call from Jeff Rickel, Jeff explained that he didn’t know who was going to build the new site, I said, “I thought you had made a deal with me to build the new web site”, Jeff said he didn’t want to argue about it, I said fine and we ended the phone call.
On 8/30/2017 I sent Jeff Rickel a email “Jeff, I honestly don’t believe what you just did but that’s ok, whatever. I did work on the site – you will be billed for that time sense you are not going to go through with the web site update as agreed, IP reports will prove I was on the site for over 1.4 hours at $119 per hour.”
Correction – I was not only relying on IP reports, but the time spent downloading and searching though the files.
On 8/30/2017 I corrected the invoice to reflect wat happened and why Jeff Rickel was being charged $166.00 for the time spent working on the website.
On 8/30/2017 I received a email from Jeff Rickel
“David - First of all, I was seeking answers when I called you with regards to the website (emails and calendar not working). You suggested looking at the new ones, and I did stay up and study the templates. As I told you by phone, I get calls sometimes as many at 10 a week, all on how they can make the internet site be more "visible" or keep it on the front page or upgrade it. And most I know are scams.
Had to call go daddy today because my email isn't working - that was the reason I called you on Monday. They tested them and said they were working fine, they probably had been hacked and had a line of text added - said they a webmaster should provide support. Go daddy said if they can put together a website like this they should be able to find the problem fast. They also said some good things about the site, but that it was getting out-of-date. Of the dozen or so calls I made most say there support team gets things done the same day (2 days at most) for almost all problems. I just checked the emails and calendar and neither one are currently working, yet there's a new invoice in my inbox. I should be looking for work, but feel I have a problem with no emails getting to me through this website. And I can't afford to wait another month to have the site put together. There are other companies that do these sites, that I can get a contract that will support the site.
I probably do need a new site, I liked the looks of several I saw on the net, but once again, I CAN"T afford to have nothing on the internet for a month. While I know you said you haven't worked with word press much - the other companies say they can put it together in less than a week to 10 days.
I'm currently down in income about $5,000 this year - I'm missing additional income that I was getting through Amazon because they changed a policy (another $100-$200 per week). I've got an incurable health issue that is limiting my abilities to work and do other things.
Jeff Rickel”
My response to this email:
Nothing that Jeff has said changes the fact that work was performed on his web site, he was informed of how to fix the main issue; the website being out of date.
This is simple: you don’t ask a company to spend time working on your web site then not pay for it
On 9/3/2017 I receive a email from Jeff Rickel “People get paid for doing work and actually fixing something. This continued harassment will get you in trouble legally.”
On 9/4/2017 I received a email from Jeff Rickel “I've talked to both the Lexington Police Department twice and Gary Bishop, Richland County Prosecutor about your business tactics. You ARE ordered to stop calling, using any source of telecommunications, visiting any of my public shows or any other type of communication with me or any relative in the area. The report you plan on launching on the internet is criminally illegal and will be dealt with. Tomorrow I will have a restraining order put in place, and will be seeking advice from my attorney. You feel this money is owed, file small claims or civil action - I will be happy to tell my side of this story there.
Jeff Rickel”
Everything I have said is the truth, and there is nothing that can turn back the clock – I want paid the time invested.