Getting Scammed?

[Attitude5ire]

Thought id give a different perspective as a vBulletin services provider, we have a good track record and during our initial years we relied a lot on "Paid Services Request" to get our name out and try to get new clients. Eventually now we have our niche and we dont just rely on vB.org for our clients but majority still finds us through vB.org. Most of them, about 90% have had their luck of "unfortunate" experiences through vB.org and thats not at all surprising since its anonymous and not moderated.

Im not really sure if vB.org would overhaul their system when it comes to these 3rd party services, i mean i havent seen vB.org change in last 4 years which has a debate of its own, but vB.org definitely should NOT wash its hands off saying, members should do their research and not blame it on vB.org staff, i dont fully agree with that, you guys are giving a platform where people can be scammed and duped, of course lot of them get their work done but eventually people say i was scammed through vB.org.

Either the forum should be totally removed or at least there should be some moderation or governance. I mean even if each thread was followed up by saying XX did a great job, not everyone who posts a job is going to sift through each post and see whose the ideal one or whom to avoid. Even if there is no itrader type of system to score each person, there should at least be some indication of people to completely avoid, some strike system to keep the repeat offenders easier to spot.

Now as members posting job or looking for services, you have to understand since this is an free-for-all forum without any watch guards, if you hire someone new and fresh, i dont think its fair to blame vB.org, its a risk you take in an online business relation, hiring a freelancer is always risky if you havent worked with that person, you would definitely have to do that extra bit research, if you are going to invest upto 500$, you can spend some time checking possible application out. Just few pointers trying to find services provider.

- Are they active around the forum
- Have they submitted Styles/Mods/Articles or contributed in vB.org
- Do they have a website for services they offer.
- Check how active it is and how long has it being functional.
- Check their portfolio and see what kind of work they have done.
- Just search their 'name' in forum , what kind of chatter is there on forum about them, is it positive or negative.
- Never pay full upfront for any project.
- Open proper channels of communication before and during projects,
- Social network can be helpful too, you see what sort of online contribution activities are associated with the person/company you want to hire, i mean Facebook, twitter, gplus etc.
- Try to have a online call or some sort of more personal interaction, sometimes it helps.
- Test their knowledge about the product, dont just hire them because they know PHP or Photoshop, they can make it work. Ideal service providers would be fluent about product and its history.
- Do they give feedback or own suggestions to improve your idea of project or do they just blindly accept whatever you say and assure it can be done.

Just few things which help filter out or at least narrow the list of possible service providers.

Eventually, you have to accept the fact that you are taking a risk of hiring someone new and any liability from that risk also belongs completely to you, vB.org gives platform for new people to start vB services and lot of people find good services/freelancers for their community work. Not ideal or perfect but i think it does help a lot than harm.