Website Designer/Builder trying to con me - what to do??

lvm

Hello,

So...turns out I have been a little bit stupid (or naive!) but hopefully not stupid enough that it will have caused me too many problems!

I purchased a domain and web hosting (from Just Host) and posted an ad for a web designer on a freelance website.

Had lots of replies but a reply from one person was brilliant - perfect price and understood exactly what I needed. Unfortunately my first mistake was agreeing to do business out with the website so losing any guarantees. However agreed payment in 3 instalments. First payment was to be paid after he'd done a certain amount of work...thankfully nothing paid yet.

I've had fairly regular updates from the guy telling me he's doing certain work so thought all was going well.

Got an email just now along the lines of "my mum's ill, in hospital, need money for operation, client has let him down because he has financial problem, I've used all my savings etc etc". Asking me to "lend" him almost twice as much as the total job cost and promising to do my next job for nothing (we'd discussed a further job if this one went well) and anything else I wanted...free maintenance etc. and this is before any work is shown to me...and paid by PayPal!!!

So...I might be stupid but not stupid enough to fall for this con.

So what do I do regarding the web hosting? He has the username and password but nothing else. I can still login so nothing changed. Is it as simple as changing the password at my end? Could he have accessed credit card details used to up purchase the domain? Should I even give any potential web designer the password?

Help!!

bengalknights

Just change the password on account

bigfreddiel

change password, ditch credit card and get new one, buy a few books and learn how to build your own site - its easy

fj

lvm

bigfreddiel wrote: »

change password, ditch credit card and get new one, buy a few books and learn how to build your own site - its easy

fj

Lol...the website I want isn't!

Probably a good time to have found out though as I may have to change the idea I had anyway!

Thanks for replying!

mehera

bigfreddiel wrote: »

change password, ditch credit card and get new one, buy a few books and learn how to build your own site - its easy

fj

It is not that easy at all!

If you have years to invest in learning, can buy expensive software and have a technical aptitude then it is possible certainly . . ..

Building a non serious site from a template is easy.

Building a successful site for a proper business that will work - is very hard in fact!!!!!!

neilwoods

lvm wrote: »

Lol...the website I want isn't!

Probably a good time to have found out though as I may have to change the idea I had anyway!

Thanks for replying!

Depending where you,try and find a local designer and see what work they have done, get in touch with them as well, just explain your seeking a web designer and finding out what there work is like.

Yes anyone can build a website with various online or physical software, but will it look any good as to attract potential customers. You get what you pay for

Plusnet_company_representative

Hi, just wanted to say - definitely change the password on the hosting account, but also make sure that the email address associated with it is yours (and is one that the designer doesn't have access to) as otherwise he may be able to reset the password and gain access that way. If the password on your email is the same as was used on the hosting site, change that too - as soon as possible.

Hope that helps.