Help- My Site was Stolen From Me- Scammed

[Ladybbird1]

Because of a serious heart condition, I had to stop work, so wanted to start a site to keep myself occupied and needed someone to help me.

A friend recommended an "experienced site owner" that would help me set it up. DUH! Like a naive fool, I trusted him and asked that site owner, "Mike" for help.

He asked me for US$500 to start and buy the Domain name etc, which I paid him. He then asked for another $500 to buy software and server set up, which my friend paid him, but I first asked Mike why I was paying all this into his private paypal account and why he didnt start a paypal account for the new site. He did and gave me access. (I know I know, what an idiot I was, but he seemed genuine and seemed to be getting on with things and my friend kept saying dont worry you can trust him.)

The site was set up and I spent up to 22 hours per day setting up all the sections with help from the original friend and another admin. It took off and was going great,,,,,until the donations started coming in. Then I noticed they were being taken by Mike for personal things and when I confronted him about it, he said he wouldnt do it again and he was desperate for money.

I gave him another chance and then it happened again. So he blocked me from the paypal account by changing the payword and when I asked him why, he blocked me and my IPs from the site.

It was a terrible time, as you can imagine and broke my heart. Many tears were shed believe me and then it became more stressful, as when I reported him to vbulletin, the server and paypal, nothing could be done, as he had set up everything in his name. So I lost all that money.

I had taken on all the staff and promoted one great staff member to Admin. When the staff found out what happened they all left including that Admin and that Admin helped me start another site. The staff joined me on it, except a couple who remained "undercover" but operating as staff to watch Mike. He had no choice but to promote one of them to Admin.

It meant I had to pay/buy everything again and I bought the same Domain name but just added a 1 to the end of it before the .com

It was a dreadful time, but I set it all up exactly the same as the old one but made some additions and improvements. When other site owners found out what had happened, (many knew my name and reputation as a SuperMod on other sites), they posted everything on their sites.

Some other owners contacted me and told me that thief Mike had done the same thing to them! 3 sites had to close and one is struggling because of all the money he stole from them.

Then I noticed my old site was going down a lot, and the loyal (to me), staff member that had stayed with thief Mike and was promoted to Admin, told me he was bringing the site down deliberately. He was doing it for further scams. He would close it for a few days, write begging emails to all members saying he couldnt pay the server, then bring it back up again and take the donations, wait a week or so, then do the same things again. That loyal to me admin, said that thief made thousands of $$$ from innocent people.

The domain name expired on 24-Feb-2012 @ 7:00 PM (EST - GMT-5)
He did not renew it and apparently does not want to. He has not paid the server again also.
So the site is down for good by the look of things. That makes me very very sad. Destroying a good site just for greed and money!

for more info, see here:

http://cqcounter.com/whois/

Well today is the 25th of Feb and when I checked godaddy and tried to buy it cheaply, it said that domain name was already taken, the other message read;

Domain Buy Service: Just $69.99 per domain name + commission! *
Our Professional Domain Buy Service provides personal Domain Agents who will:

* Complete a Certified Appraisal within 2 business days of service purchase.
* Attempt to contact current domain owner, to determine interest in selling their domain.
* Negotiate the sales price of your desired domain (if the owner is willing to sell their domain).
* Help facilitate the sales transaction (if a sales agreement is reached).

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.COM

I am not sure if I can post the site's name on here without breaking the rules by posting the full name, but I wont just in case.

Thats way too expensive for me.
Sad though, that now I have an opportunity to buy the domain name I already paid for and he stole it and the site from me,,I cannot afford to buy it back!
All because of the new expense when I had to pay for everything again to start up my new site

Sorry for the saga but it was necessary as I need your advice and help.
Do you think I should wait and the price may come down? or how does godaddy work? is there a time limit they allow for domain owners to renew or not? will it stay dormant? or do you think it will ever come up for sale in the future, under one of their normal prices or offers (normally $9.99)

I would appreciate any help you can offer and please dont critisize me for my stupidity, I have learnt the hard way and this was not about lost money, this is about the pain of losing such a wonderful site and the "backbreaking work" and long hours setting it up. I am sure all you site owners will understand how I feel.

Thank you in advance.

Ladybbird1 Reviewed by Ladybbird1 on 25th Feb 2012. Help- My Site was Stolen From Me- Scammed Because of a serious heart condition, I had to stop work, so wanted to start a site to keep myself occupied and needed someone to help me. A friend recommended an "experienced site owner" that would help me set it up. DUH! Like a naive fool, I trusted him and asked that site owner, "Mike" for help. He asked me for US$500 to start and buy the Domain name etc, which I paid him. He then asked for another $500 to buy software and server set up, which my friend paid him, but I first asked Rating: 5

[UltimA]

You should post the site name and anyone you know associated with the deal/his site.

[okone]

Unfortunately that is the price you pay by choosing Godaddy.

Normally when you decide to let a domain expire, it is deleted by your registrar and becomes available for registration again.

With Godaddy however, when you let a domain go, they hold on to it and auction it off as part of their domain buy service. I'm pretty sure it is eventually set free, but I have no idea when. So it may not be Mike's doing.

Sorry I can't help more.

[Siruthuli]

"I gave him another chance"

This is what you do not do online.

Everyone has one chance, you will be lucky if you had got a second chance, but you messed up your second chance as well mate

[Shahrukh]

I always Say Never trust an Stranger 0, totally your mistake giving him 1k$ for just domain and server setup. Domain is of Just 10$ BTW/ server Setup costs + Software MAX 100$, you Made up a fool of yourself doing this.

And even he was Talking donation Without asking you at that Time you should have learned the lesson rather giving him another chance

WHATEVER had happened, There is Some one who created this world Watching, he is going to take a Revenge from him don't worry!

[nk2join]

actually most of user not investigate hosting company. My suggestion is check all big sites where they hosted there sites and then make a decision I hope no one will get any trouble with there sites.

[MyDarkTower]

Is this the guy? Try the phone number. Maybe you might get lucky. Even call his local police. If the info is correct (people do stupid things all the time) maybe you can scare him into getting your $ back. Long shot, but better then nothing.
Looks like the domain expires in 2013 too. If this is not he correct info file a complaint with Godaddy that the contact info is fake.

White pages look up shows that the number belongs to a Michael J Menard See here:

http://www.whitepages.com/phone/1-608-847-3849

Registrant:
Michael Menard
w5431 Volling Lane
Lot 12A
Mauston, Wisconsin 53948
United States

Registered through: Go Daddy
Domain Name: DREAMTEAMDOWNLOADS.COM
Created on: 24-Feb-11
Expires on: 24-Feb-13
Last Updated on: 12-Feb-12

Administrative Contact:
Menard, Michael mmenard3@hughes.net
w5431 Volling Lane
Lot 12A
Mauston, Wisconsin 53948
United States
(608) 847-3849 Fax --

Technical Contact:
Menard, Michael mmenard3@hughes.net
w5431 Volling Lane
Lot 12A
Mauston, Wisconsin 53948
United States
(608) 847-3849

Picture of the address:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=w5431+Volling+Lane++%C2%A0+%C2%A0+%C2%A0Lot+12A++%C2%A0+%C2%A0+%C2%A0Mauston,+Wisconsin+53948++%C2%A0+%C2%A0+%C2%A0United+States&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x87fe011346428809:0xe25f510cc30b6bc2,Volling+Ln,+Mauston,+WI+53948&gl=us&ei=IDRJT8z9MYfx0gGI8NWtDg&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CCEQ8gEwAA

[Ladybbird1]

I always Say Never trust an Stranger 0, totally your mistake giving him 1k$ for just domain and server setup. Domain is of Just 10$ BTW/ server Setup costs + Software MAX 100$, you Made up a fool of yourself doing this.

And even he was Talking donation Without asking you at that Time you should have learned the lesson rather giving him another chance

WHATEVER had happened, There is Some one who created this world Watching, he is going to take a Revenge from him don't worry!

Thats my problem I am too trusting in life and my lovely mother, who is with the Angels, warned me many times about it.

I always leave revenge to our good Lord above.

I thank you for your kind words and support, you brought tears to my eyes as it was a terrible time for me.

Barbara

[trace]

Sorry to hear that
Hope you get your domain back

[Ladybbird1]

Is this the guy? Try the phone number. Maybe you might get lucky. Even call his local police. If the info is correct (people do stupid things all the time) maybe you can scare him into getting your $ back. Long shot, but better then nothing.
Looks like the domain expires in 2013 too. If this is not he correct info file a complaint with Godaddy that the contact info is fake.

White pages look up shows that the number belongs to a Michael J Menard See here:

http://www.whitepages.com/phone/1-608-847-3849

Picture of the address:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=w5431+Volling+Lane++%C2%A0+%C2%A0+%C2%A0Lot+12A++%C2%A0+%C2%A0+%C2%A0Mauston,+Wisconsin+53948++%C2%A0+%C2%A0+%C2%A0United+States&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x87fe011346428809:0xe25f510cc30b6bc2,Volling+Ln,+Mauston,+WI+53948&gl=us&ei=IDRJT8z9MYfx0gGI8NWtDg&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CCEQ8gEwAA

That is HIM!, I knew he lived in a trailer park, but he used many address for different paypal accounts, one was in Mauston, Wisconsin. Paypal gave me that info when I reported him to them but wouldnt give me the full info. They never did anything as far as I know and I never heard back from them. They just said they would investigate.

The trailer park I traced him to was in Arizona. So he must have friends and family members with him in these scams and uses their trailer park addresses.

He also uses many different email addies from different providers.

That is incredible info and I thank you greatly for your hard work. But as I dont live in the US and he put everything in his name, I dont think I would have any recourse through the legal way in the US.

I just hope that my posting this thread and the response from you with that fantastic info will be read and noticed by many site owners, so they can be forewarned

I thank you again and do you know just reading his name and info has caused me to feel physically sick again. But I am so glad you traced him and posted it. I would hate others to go through what I did.

Bless you 'MyDarkTower'

Barbara xxx

I can confirm the stolen sites' name was dreamteamdownloads.com
and my new site is dreamteamdownloads1.com

(I have cleared with the Mods that posting this is ok)