Harassment? Let me know what you think..

[ffiveutah]

What is the name of your state? Utah

Hello everyone!

I am new to this board and had a question that I was hoping someone could help me with.

I'm 17 years old and I run my own business. I've always loved computer and business, so naturally this explains my interest in becoming an entreprenuer. I handle web design projects along with reselling computer hardware on eBay, things have been going very well and I love doing what I do.

I've had a 100% positive record on eBay since the very first item I sold. I'm now at about 400-410 sales and rising. However...

I designed a webpage for a woman in Virginia who needed an ecommerce website to sell women's accessories. I constructed the website and collected a very modest payment in comparison to others doing the same work. It's now been 5 months and she has began to email me saying the website is no longer funcitonal.

After taking a look at the website's inner workings I found that configuration settings had been altered, and I would have to literally reconfigure the backend of the website becuase of this.

This woman has been not only rude, but harassing as well. She insists that I refund all of her money because of an error that someone caused on her end. The ecommerce software I installed is oScommerce, which allows a userfriendly backend... but it does include settings that, if altered, could cripple the website. I warned her of this upon giving her the password to the administration page.

She has called my home several times, left rude messages, and just recently left comments on my personal blog/website. This woman has taken the time to come into my personal life and leave extremely rude & demanding comments on my personal website which isn't in anyway affiliated with my business.

Here are some comments she's trashed my posts with:

"I have a great idea too! Why don't you return my $489.40?"
"Viewmont High must not teach ethics. Return my $489.40."
"Why don't you clear things up and return my money? $489.40."
"Did you find my $489.40 in your room? If so, you can return it through PayPal."
"Why don't you take a lesson from Ashdown and do the morally upstanding thing.....return my $489.40?"

Is this harassment? What can I do about this... I'd really like all of this to stop.

Thank you..

ZS

[Ohiogal]

It is not harassment. She is trying to get money from you that she believes you owe her. This most probably will end up in court if you dont' pay her. Do you have to pay her? Not necessarily. A judge could determine you did and then you would have to.

[Ozark_Sophist]

Did you have a contract? Warranty? From the OP, the website worked for five months.

If there was no warranty, send a CRRR letter to the woman stating you completed all elements of the contract and her acceptence of the administrative password/control of a functional website ended your obligation to further develop, maintain, or design the website. You delivered a product, not a service. Offer to provide the source code for osCommerce (permitted by osCommerce -- also, be sure to use osCommerce casing--not oScommerce [url]http://www.oscommerce.com/about/trademark)[/url]. Tell her to stop contacting you or you will file for harrassment (bluff).

If by chance, the CRRR is returned unopened, do not open it. Retain the unopened letter in the even the woman comes after you in court.

~~not an attorney, a forum fan.