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don't get ripped off like me

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don't get ripped off like me
This message in no way reflects badly on gossamer.... great company, great products



Lieutenant Chuck Thomas, Huntington Beach Police Department,

Dear Lt. Thomas,

I recently was defrauded by someone living in Huntington Beach. The transaction occurred over the internet, I paid through the Paypal service. I paid a Paypal member living in your jurisdiction $50 US to perform an installation of some software on an Internet connected web server for me. The software product is called Links 2.0. I contacted this person through a list of available freelance installers that was provided by the software company, Gossamer-Threads of Vancouver, British Columbia. I paid him through Paypal and never received the service as promised.

I have several emails that were sent back and fourth before the transaction took place as well as an email from Paypal.

Paypal said .......

------------------------

PayPal has concluded the investigation of your buyer complaint.

As our policy states, we conducted this investigation on a best

effort basis and made no guarantee of funds recovery.

Case ID: 269464

Transaction Date: 11/29/01

Transaction Amount: $50.00

Seller's Email: billing@innovationstudios.com

Seller's Name: Ryan Sheehan

Sheehan, Ryan (RSC156) ryan@INNOVATIONSTUDIOS.COM

Innovation Studios

9582 Yellowstone Dr.

Huntington Beach, CA 92646

US

714-915-4248

Our investigation has revealed that the seller is at fault; as

a result you are due a refund. However, we regret to inform

you that we were unable to recover funds from the sellers account,

as the seller's account balance is $0.

-----------------------

So basically, I want to know if I can get any help from your department regarding this matter. I know the amount of money is small but I wonder how many victims he has done this to. If you can help me I can fax or email all the paperwork I have. Perhaps a visit by an officer would persuade Mr. Sheehan to contact me and clear this matter up.

As mentioned I spoke to him at length by email, prior to the transaction, and as soon as I paid the money he disappeared.

Tony Smyth

Windsor, Ontario

Canada

519-796-1493

I am cc'ing this to the email address I have for the suspect in the hopes that he is interested in making restitution.

Quote Reply
Re: [tonysmyth] don't get ripped off like me In reply to
I have deleted your other two threads. Please do not post duplicates.

Last edited by:

RedRum: Dec 24, 2001, 3:51 AM
Quote Reply
Re: [RedRum] don't get ripped off like me In reply to
The reason I made the duplicate posts was so that as many people would see it as possible. That way nobody else will make the same mistake and lose money. That would be a good thing, for everyone, the customers, gossamer etc.

I am surprised you choose to put Netiquette ahead of everything else and delete the duplicate posts, especially the one in Unix Installations Forum. Is protecting the Link from getting ripped off not more important than duplicate posts?

Please explain your logic.



Tony


Quote Reply
Re: [tonysmyth] don't get ripped off like me In reply to
My logic is that if Ryan is ill or has been unable to contact you for some other reason then you will ruin his reputation which isn't fair.

I'd wait until a few days after christmas.

If you have had no response you should request that Alex remove the link to Ryan's site from the resources section.

Last edited by:

RedRum: Dec 24, 2001, 9:08 AM
Quote Reply
Re: [RedRum] don't get ripped off like me In reply to
My thinking is the original transaction was on November 29th and Ryan has not responded to numerous emails. I am thinking that if a company operates on the Internet and has a web site that offers web page design, hosting, and promotion, as well as installing Links, that a certain amount of responsibility comes with that.

I am thinking that maybe that company/person should have plans in place in case someone gets sick. I am thinking that if you accepts credit card payments through PayPal you need to be responsible for timely service. Maybe he is sick, maybe he had a death in the family, maybe his basement flooded and his computer got wrecked. These things are not my problem unless he contacts me and says, "Hey Tony, something has come up and I will not be able to do that for you." He has access to this forum from any internet connected computer and he can also access his Paypal account from any Internet connected computer, perhaps at the local library.

I know what he did have time for! He had time to withdraw the $50 US I put in his paypal account. When Paypal contacted me they said his account balance was zero. I'm glad you are concerned about his reputation.

Tony


Quote Reply
Re: [tonysmyth] don't get ripped off like me In reply to
I didn't realise it was so long ago - that puts a different slant on things.

>>I'm glad you are concerned about his reputation. <<

The last I knew, Ryan was a decent guy and had created a Links2 FAQ website on his own, so of course I'm going to defend him until I have evidence not to.
Quote Reply
Re: [tonysmyth] don't get ripped off like me In reply to
It would seem that Ryan Sheehan of Innovation Studios is at it again. Our webhosting company contracted with Ryan at the request of one of our clients who was interested in having Links 2.0 installed. We paid the additional money, ($39.99), and then waited 4 days for a response. Finally, after 4 emails we asked for a refund. Instead of honoring our request he installed Links 2.0 overnight. While Ryan did install the program he installed it incorrectly and will not repair his error nor will he respond to repeated emails over a two week period. We now are the proud user of a broken installation of Links and are looking for another installer to correct the error.

Folks, Links 2.0 is an excellent application but unless you want to program everything yourself, try someone else.
Quote Reply
Re: [Genivex] don't get ripped off like me In reply to
Is this guys web site back up? I even called the police about him.

Where did you contact him? He still owes me $50 US .... he's a con artist.

Did you pay with paypal?
Quote Reply
Re: [tonysmyth] don't get ripped off like me In reply to
Yes, I submitted through Paypal.

http://www.gossamer-threads.com/...es/Links/Installers/ He is advertising under #1 Installs.

This guy is a real idiot and a disgrace to the profession. I plan to look him up personally the next time I go to CA. I go fairly frequently as I'm only one state away in AZ.
Quote Reply
Re: [Genivex] don't get ripped off like me In reply to
Innovationstudios.com is dead. How do you know scriptinstallation.com is Ryan's site?

Last edited by:

Paul: May 21, 2003, 2:00 AM
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Re: [Paul] don't get ripped off like me In reply to
Paul,

They may be dead, but it would certainly appear that they have resurrected themselves as #1installs. I responded to a post from a Links customer who got ripped off by Ryan Sheehan from Innovation Studios. We got ripped off by Ryan Sheehan of #1installs.

I have attached below the paypal payment confirmation to Ryan Sheehan at #1Installs.

The bottom line is this. We paid Ryan Sheehan to provide a service and he was very eager to take our money. Ryan Sheehan's, (or #1Installs or whatever they want to call themselves this month). service has been poor to none since taking our money and our client still is in the process of finding another installer to correct his errors.

I understand that you are just trying to be impartial, but the fact remains that Ryan Sheehan was contracted to perform an installation service, he took our money for it, botched the job after being asked for a refund and then refuses to make it right.







Transaction Details Web Accept Payment Sent (ID #XXXXXXXXXX00743D) Related Transactions Date Type Status Details Gross($) Fee($) Net($) May 9, 2003 Payment To Ryan Sheehan Cleared ... -39.99 0.00 -39.99 May 9, 2003 Transfer From Bank Account Completed 39.99 0.00 39.99


Name:
Ryan Sheehan (The recipient of this payment is Verified) Email:
info@1installs.com
Total Amount:
-39.99
Quantity:
1 Item Title:
Links 2.0 Premium Install Item Number:
05 Date:
May 9, 2003 Time:
10:53:27 Status:
Cleared

Shipping Address

No Address Provided
Funding Type:
PayPal Funds and eCheck Funding Source:
$39.99 - STATE BANK Checking (Confirmed) XXXXXXXXXX
Quote Reply
Re: [Genivex] don't get ripped off like me In reply to
If Ryan Sheehan wants to clear up his name and image he can't start by refunding me the $50 he charged to install links for me. In my case he didn't even try to install it. He just ripped me off. Make no mistake that he knows what he did because I sent many emails before he closed his site at innovationstudiuos.com

So now he is at it again and everyone needs to be aware who he is and why he should not be trusted to do any work. When I asked Paypal to investigate they agreed that I was due a refund but said that the account had been closed and no credit card was available. He knew exactly what he was doing. He withdrew the money as soon as it arrived.

I will contact Paypal again today and maybe they can shut him down.

Last edited by:

tonysmyth: May 21, 2003, 1:14 PM
Quote Reply
Re: [tonysmyth] don't get ripped off like me In reply to
$50 to install Links SQL? Wow..thats a rip off in itself, even if he had done the install. Its people like him who give people like me, Paul and other 'decent' installers a bad name Frown

Cheers

Andy (mod)
andy@ultranerds.co.uk
Want to give me something back for my help? Please see my Amazon Wish List
GLinks ULTRA Package | GLinks ULTRA Package PRO
Links SQL Plugins | Website Design and SEO | UltraNerds | ULTRAGLobals Plugin | Pre-Made Template Sets | FREE GLinks Plugins!
Quote Reply
Re: [Andy] don't get ripped off like me In reply to
Wow is all I can say. Paul emailed me and made me aware of this post I never knew existed (thank you for that).



I would first like to address tonysmyth . Obviously this was 2 years ago but it is something I wasn't aware of until now and was never contacted by PayPal about. The account I have now is the same one i've always had just a different email. Besides that I would like to get information on the transaction. If it was my fault I apologize and I will refund the full amount. Please email my at 1installs@aol.com



As for Genivex , your payment was made by a PayPal eCheck. This eCheck as any other check, regular or electronic, does take a few days to clear through and I did make you aware of this as I have been burned before by bounced online payments! I apologize for any delay this may have caused you but I think it is a pretty standard procedure.



As for myself I would like to clear up a few things. First off, no I did not charge $50 for a Links SQL install. I charged $40 for install of Links 2.0 and a handful of modifications. As for my web site (innovationstudios.com), I had the site for many years and used it for many different thing but due to an address change I was not mailed the notification of renewal and the domain was bought out by another company when it expired. No I did not rip a bunch of people off and run. this is the first i have heard about tony's situation but plan to address that and take care of him if it was my error. And the other issue with the delay of install was addressed here.



I have done MANY installs over the last few years and have had MANY, MANY satisfied customers. I have saved emails of all the happy customers I have had if anybody would like to see them.



I basically just want it to get across that no I am NOT a thief and NO I am not trying to rip anybody off. In tony's case it very well could be my fault, back then I was doing so many installs a day I could hardly keep up! (not like that now)



If there is anything else I need to address please feel free to let me know!



Regards,

Ryan
Quote Reply
Re: [RMS] don't get ripped off like me In reply to
Hi Ryan,



I am responding after reading your reply on the forum.

You did rip me off for $50 that I paid to you through Paypal for a links install. It was links 2.0 with mods. Here is the original email we shared.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

rom: Ryan Sheehan [links@innovationstudios.com]

Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2001 12:55 AM

To: Tony Smyth

Subject: Re: Are you still installing links

Hi Tony,

Yes I am still available for installs!

The price for the premium install and migration of your old database will be $50.

If you are interested in doing this you can go ahead and pay here:
http://www.innovationstudios.com/links/payment.html

then fill out this form with your server info for the install:
http://www.innovationstudios.com/links/install.html

I will also need the FTP login for the old site to get the data.

If you are able to pay online I should be able to complete this by tomorrow, Thursday at the latest.

Anything else? Let me know!

Ryan

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Ryan Sheehan [links@innovationstudios.com]

Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2001 10:45 AM

To: Tony Smyth

Subject: RE: Are you still installing links

Hi Tony,

Looks good! I will go ahead and get to that probably late this afternoon or this evening.

I will keep you updated.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Tony Smyth [tonysmyth@yahoo.com]

Sent: Sunday, December 09, 2001 10:41 PM

To: 'links@innovationstudios.com'

Subject: RE: Are you still installing links

Ryan,

Did you run into some sort of delay? Please advise?

Tony Smyth

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is about the time you disappeared with my money and another member of the forum came forward and installed Links for me (I paid him and he completed the task). I tried to contact you several times and got no reply of any kind. If this was indeed some sort of mistake please refund my money by PayPal to this email address tonysmyth@windsorwebs.com .

If you supply a refund I will gladly do all I can to clear your name in the forum and call it a misunderstanding.

Tony

Quote Reply
Re: [tonys] don't get ripped off like me In reply to
I tried to send this same post to Ryan at the address he provided 1installs@aol.com
and it came back as undeliverable.

Tony
Quote Reply
Re: [tonys] don't get ripped off like me In reply to
What happened Next ?
>> Nakul Goyal (SEO, Link Building Expert)
Web Site Promotion
Tips 'n' Tricks
SEO News


Quote Reply
Re: [nakulgoyal] don't get ripped off like me In reply to
Nothing happened after that. He slipped back under the rock he came out from. I didn't get my refund and he is probably operating under a different name now. He knew what he was doing. I don't even think it would be possible to accept money from someone and "oops, I forgot all about that!".

If you run into Ryan kick his ass for me.
Quote Reply
Re: [Andy] don't get ripped off like me In reply to
Andy,
I am looking for someone to install links on two web sites. www.alabamalakes.com and www.imagedesignsbystacie.com. How can we get in touch and discuss the specifics?
Thanks,
StacieAngelic
Quote Reply
Re: [Stacie] don't get ripped off like me In reply to
Please contact me on andy@ultranerds.com (or PM me), and I can give you a quote :)

Cheers

Andy (mod)
andy@ultranerds.co.uk
Want to give me something back for my help? Please see my Amazon Wish List
GLinks ULTRA Package | GLinks ULTRA Package PRO
Links SQL Plugins | Website Design and SEO | UltraNerds | ULTRAGLobals Plugin | Pre-Made Template Sets | FREE GLinks Plugins!