Originally Posted by Shap

In most cases when people leave this biz they always do it with a scam. They leave people high and dry. I don't know why, that is just really dumb imo. I've done very well. I've saved a lot of money. I've enjoyed a life that I never dreamed possible. All thanks to this industry and the people in it. If anything I'd go out with a bang in a good way and throw the biggest promo ever or something like that. Maybe that's just me. I know I'm generalizing. There are plenty of people that went out the right way. Fantasyman, Mike AI, Marc De etc. I just think with 2011 around the corner I'm not expecting to see many people go out like that. I'm expecting to see a continued increase in how many people leave us high and dry.

Last night's CyberAge Dave threads really got me thinking. The more I think about it I think Will's approach is the better approach for a lot of us (especially those with an influential voice) to have. You can not rely on someone's history. If someone stops paying today they erase 10 years of history and no matter how good they WERE they are now amongst those that do not pay and until they prove otherwise they can't be trusted. Not only that the word has to be spread. We've seen it all too many times when it comes down to it the people that leave us all high and dry have no friends in this business. They burn their reputation and every relationship for their last score in this biz.

It's important to be responsible when doing this. You have to exhaust the proper channels (email, icq, phone) first before coming to GFY. Once you've done that and sufficient time has passed (ie check isn't lost in the mail) it's important to see if others are experiencing the same thing.

I have a bad feeling that the disappearing act is going to be very trendy in 2011