It's not about "thinking 3 bills is long dough" dude. YOU are the one here announcing/complaining about a scammer that scammed you, not us. Thanks for naming the guy at least, many don't and choose to 'protect' the scammer for some reason, maybe because they think there's still a chance they'll get paid or something. So for that you deserve a thank you.

But no, it's about learning from your mistakes. Like you say, it's the principle of the matter, and if that's true then the lesson here is about being a little more cautious with people you don't know. The amount at $300 is immaterial yes, but had it been $3000 or perhaps $13000 maybe you'd be a little less condescending and a little more agreeable to what we're saying? I think so.

Take the advice or leave it, your choice, but others are reading this thread who might actually learn to be just a bit more cautious in their business dealings with unknowns even if you won't.

Cheers.

I think you might be dissecting this a bit too much. I also pay a construction contractor (whom I dont know) right up front when the amount is extremely low. Anything over 5 might make me a litte more precausious, but until the amount reaches that point it would actualy cause more headache to investigate in depth. The Guy had no previous complaints on GFY nor anywhere else. He had references and a lengthy portfolio. Yea I shot him 3 to see what he could do - not a big deal. Again, this post is not a complaint just an announcement, so we can expose folks like this before they do it again.

Western Union is great!

Any word on this? My friend said he was scammed too and given some stupid excuse. This guy should be banned

I don't care if it's 5 bucks or $5000, the principle of someone taking money, promising something, and then not delivering is just not ok with me.

We got burned a couple times early on. Now, we are very clear that we simply don't pay up front, period.

Particularly with Filipino designers, there are about 10,000 of them and there are always some that are willing to work with us. The amazing thing to me is even when they know they aren't getting paid till they complete the work, a lot of them STILL do half the work, or sometimes do 90% of the work and then disappear, never even asking to be paid.

Or you get the list of 1000 excuses. One designer had his mother die... twice in a 3 month period. Someone is always in the hospital. The email didn't arrive. The net connection went down. They had a sudden emergency. I've never seen more natural disasters, equipment failures, or medical problems in any other society in the world.

Sometimes they will flake and disappear, only to reappear several months later, begging and pleading to do more work for us. Since we are never in the situation of losing money on them, sometimes once we explain the second time what the arrangement is, they actually follow instructions, do great work, and get paid, but it feels like we're educating a 10 year old each time we work with a new designer.

I wish you the best of luck in getting your completed work. Hopefully the guy will figure out that finishing your job will perhaps be worth the effort.

oof :Oh crap

Measures have been taken to ensure the prompt completion of this project.

Western Union is great!

why the fuck people do half work and then don't finish is beyond me. Just do the damn job and you'll probably get more work and more money! Putting shit off is just shitty business. I'm glad you exposed this douche fuck.

One of my guys, his mother just got shot! He had to go back to the province. He has worked with me over a year, it was actually true.

If you are going to deal with Filipino developers, you need to use a management company to provide proven workers.

FYI, I ran his name through my db of local developers/prior applicants with no luck.

Create free flash design for free:
http://www.wix.com/

Many wanted updates as this progressed so here is the latest. He sent this on the 27th but dissapeared shortly thereafter again.

Hi. I'm resending the email I sent to you previously. Give me 'til the end of the week to sort everything out as I return back to work. I've been doing business at GFY for a couple of years now, and have no intent of scamming people. As much as I don't want to drag my current family issue, I ask for your kind understanding and apologies for the inconveniences I had caused you.

There was definitely a fault on my end as I haven't endorsed/updated you the latest of what I've worked on the project. I had an immediate family issues to attend to re our former household help/maid. My family has been dealing a very stressful and emotional weeks and would really appreciate your understanding as I am in the process of pursuing legal action and would need all my time and energy in doing so.

Here is a link to the blotter I filed last May 21, 2009:
http://halfwired.com/issue/blotter.jpg

It is written in my local dialect (Tagalog), as it sums up the complaint I'm filing. It states that I have finally got the evidence to my previous household help/maid's unhealthy practices in preparing our food, and her disrespectful conduct towards to me and my wife. If you have a Filipino friend that can help you translate this for you for verification purposes, you can do so. My mobile number is xxxxxxxx if you need to talk to me. I'm doing my best to get all issues resolved.

I am hoping to get back and continue working as early as next week and work the extra hours to complete what needs to be done during my absence.

If you would be able to give my final chance on or before Sunday, to get everything settled, as I get back my composure in resolving this issue. Thank you very much and looking forward for your understanding.

Sincerely,
Mike Mijaro

Bump for you scammers suck.

That's sucks

That sucks. Thank's for the warning.

I got the exact same email...lol...problem is Mike Mijaro actually did a great job for me the first time I used him so I decided to use him again and I am in the same boat...out $300 with no updates to the site...lame excuses that he sent emails and ICQ's that magically disappear and to top it off my box has been sending out phishing emails for citibank, HSBC, and Egg(resolved immediately by my colo by the way)....I don't know what happened with his family and if it was true...but It's been two months for me and I'm moving on...I agree with the OP...$300 isn't going to break me either but its just the principle.......I am only working stateside from now on!!!!!!

ICQ465737874

Why do people pay in full up front get surprised when they get fucked? Sucks what happened but thats why you pay when the job's done. I've never paid a designer/developer up front.

No one is ever surprised. Threads like this are simply for future reference.

Sorry to bump a old thread, but this guy messaged me to do some work I needed done. HE said he has rectified the situation with you, but still wants to be paid upfront. Now I am definitely not going to give him anything upfront considering this situation and that I have already been schemed out of some money and lost about a week and a half of time by using a Michael Kane (MikeK) on DNForum, also known as Toni Zova from Designer Freaks / Inlip Designs and this situation looks so much like his M.O.

Just want to get the facts straight to see if he actually did complete your work.

Thanks,
-Mike C.

In the Philippines $300 is probably big bucks.
Maybe he's setting up his next profile for his next GFY advertising campaign.
This is why people don't like paying upfront.

GlobalCorp says that Michael Anthony Mijaro is scammer. Got it.

it'll never make sense to me how these scammer pieces of shit think that it's easier to run off with your cash and not deliver the work than it is to maintain a good relationship and reap the reward of having a steady client for life!

Hope you get the issue resolved!

Bump for you!

Mike,
No he has not rectified the situation. He has disappeared from using his real nick here at GFY and has never attempted to contact myself, or any of the others he has scammed in this thread. Next time you speak to him, why don't you tell him to drop by this thread and show some proof of ANY rectification. It won't happen ... please watch out for this guy.

Good luck -

Deal with people that people on here deal with regularly. It might cost a tad more but you will get what was promised. Skrog is good so is a bunch of others here. IMO

Good luck.

GlobalCorp, he offered to do the work up front, he did, I paid him and I couldn't be happier. I spoke with him about this situation and he is saying that he supposebly fixed this situation with you. I don't want to get involved or in the middle of the situation, but if you would like to speak with him to try and settle this situation his ICQ is 318889679 ~ let me know how it works out!

-Mike C.

It's not just a situation with me, it's a situation with numerous others that have been scammed by him. I'm sure you are aware that we all know his ICQ# and had conversations with him via ICQ and email before being scammed. When you spoke to him, did you ask him to stop by this thread and post his proof? or even stop by and address all the individuals that he has scammed? In all fairness, you involved yourself when you spoke to him about 'my situation' twice so I'm curious as to why you just didn't tell him to post proof before hiring him. Strange -

Since you seem to be alot closer to him than any of us how about this .. you get him to post some proof here and I will do the work for you free next time, and I mean that - hold me to it.

I must say, it'is a bit disappointing to see a fellow webmaster like yourself giving business to a known scammer.

The fact that three people on this thread claim to have been scammed by this guy is enough for me to know all I need about this guy, if it was only one you never know, but three people with dozens of posts at GFY...

Thanks for the heads up.

I wasn't going to work with him after finding this thread, He messaged me the next day with work started / just about completed. He finished it to my liking and I paid him. Was I suppose to scam him? I referred him to this thread so he can get the situation rectified. Believe me, I want you guys to get your work or your money back, no doubt ~ but I desperately needed the work done asap and he was the only one who could actually do it in a timely fashion and without being paid up front.

I am talking to him on ICQ right now so he can come here and try to work things out with you or I will definitely not give him any more work.

Halfway through the first post I KNEW this was Philipino. I love it when they tell you its raining too hard to work.

Mike, he lied to you about fixing anything and has not contacted any of us as to date - I can guarantee you this. With that said, he obviously has no proof to post. He will create new nicks, aquire new accounts, and slowly let this one die down like the rest of his scams in hopes we will all forget.

I understand, I am dealing with a very similar situation on DNForum. I am not defending him here, just stating what he did for me and what he is saying, nothing more than that.

I really hope he does follow through and rectify the situation(s) with you guys like he is promising.

He definitely will not get anymore work from me til he does.

He read this thread the day it was posted Mike, trust me. You, I, and others he has scammed are now waiting for his arival with money in hand (to pay us back). Since you just now finished speaking with him, it shouldn't be too long. I will wait right here -

Thanks for trying to help, best of luck.

this is in hopes to settle what has been due and to clear my name on the issues being addressed. believe me, of all the years i've worked and spent my time on gfy, all along thought that everything had been rectified. i don't scam or rip others.

first off, in globalcorp's case, i'm recovering what is left of my archives to at least state my claim that the link i sent during the time hasn't moved, as knowing that the final revisions be approved for final delivery. i did had some issues but tried to pick up the pieces from what i left off.

seanlee, for 16 hours straight and has sent you 12 different variations of the menu project we had working, until paying me below on what we've originally agreed, the only thing i received from you was scrapping the project and requesting for a banner instead. you provided me different menu samples which i obliged on creating a version that would fit your website. the ftp access i was requesting was to speed up my time of testing the versions on your domain and to save time, but had it against me? i don't have interest on any of your content on your site.

sickpuppy, Paul, i only access your server when advised. i don't move unless you told me to. and do remember the time i provided you the list of all the ips that had phishing activities on your domain. even removed the malware from your domain. i worked on the changes you wanted done, as i quoted you the additional tasks, you pulled down my access. i received a lot of spam emails from your domain which i tried helping you with the issues, and advised me to reply only when confirmation was given.

and to all who posted, i understand what you feel. i apologize if this has taken long. thanks for zurc for the heads up.

hoping to get this issue with globalcorp settled once and for all.

Once and for all? This is the first time you have even addressed your debts. I think I see where the problem lies now ... it might be the language barrier between our 2 Countries that has you mistakenly thinking we don't pick up on your rudimentary hustle. You have been using that 'recovering what is left from my archives' lie for months now (you don't really think we believe you have archives do you)?

You went down to your local supermarket, picked up the $300.00, then disappeared, avoided all contact (except the time I caught you off course), and you had no intentions of doing any work ... which is why you don't have the job complete now, nor do you have the $300.00 refund.

You still to this second have not contacted me via email or ICQ because you are too frightened. You are a scammer and a liar plain and simple.. there is really no more to it. Just because you now see the damage you have caused yourself here and abroad, does not reverse time.

The only reason you are here addressing this now is because your last job (one of many that you have completed since scamming us) called you out and forced you to post. You told him that you had resolved the issue with me, but you have chosen to hide and not make even the slightest attempt at contact in any form.

Since you are here though, go ahead and send that $300.00 back to my epass - apreciate it.

Mike just made contact for the first time since May of 2009. Now saying he has to wait until after the holidays to initiate a refund due to his bank being closed. Will keep the thread updated, and let the board know if he infact pays his debt.

Good news. Let us know the outcome.

Still no attempt at even asking for my epass, or paypal info. I'm sure he will use this as yet another excuse. It's scam season -

bizzump for g-corp!

Still no contact as presumed. Michael Anthony Mijaro = Dirty Slumdog Scammer

man that sucks, if i can give tyou one word of advice, never NEVER use western union, besides it costs alot of money to transfer money but if for some reason someone scams you, there is nothing you can do about it and he gets away scout free.

another word of advice, never send 100% payment first, send 50% when he presents you with something concrete or a super low res version of the animation or with a watermark just enough that you can't use it then once you see that its finished and have a working version that is low res or watermarked then you send him the rest 50% so he can send you the complete version.

also i think there should be a sticky at the tp of the forum that simply reads "BLACKLIST OF SCAMMERS" then have all the names mentioned of all the users who got scammed in the first post stating a short reason why that person is blacklisted.

just an idea.

You may have missed these posts:
http://www.gfy.com/15873510-post8.html
http://www.gfy.com/15884048-post52.html

I have used Western Union (for certain transactions) for over 15 years and never had a problem. I could have stopped payment at anytime via [email protected]. When you give someone half up front and they do a little work, you would be less likely to pursue the debt (because it was only half), and they know that. It also gives them a justifiable story about how they did 'half' the work. They know you will just eventually let it go because it was only 'half'.

Once again, this is not about the money or my needing advice, but thank you for wanting to help, it is simply a public notice that requires some resolution.

Mike is reading each of these posts and if he decides to be a man and refund the $300.00 before March 1st, I will donate the full amount to the charity of drriley's choice here: http://www.gfy.com/fucking-around-and-business-discussion/948692-donating-charities-haiti-disaster-relief.html

I have been waiting for him to get online because I need him to do some edits for the work he did for me that he promised to do even after I paid him. Doesn't look like that's going to happen any time soon and not sure I want to waste time with a PayPal dispute that probably wouldn't go anywhere anyways...