Hi Waccoistas.
First, a cautionary tale, then a request.
Deciding to update my web presence, I was referred by old friend to a stranger who'd contacted her (here on Wacco) as a new, local, web designer/hosting service/ SEO specialist looking for work.
I got in touch and started talking with him. All seemed to be good, so I paid him $400 in full, in advance, to create a word Press site, give me a few (4) hours of coaching (so I could make all changes and maintain it myself), and for a year of hosting on his server, through March 2018.
Follow-through quickly degraded into an utterly horrible, nightmarish experience (like working with a total sociopath).
A basic site was finally completed and put up on his server. I never got the coaching which was part of the deal, but was glad to just cut ties and move on. OK.
BUT
Last Friday, out of the blue, I got an email from him with subject line Service suspension notification - saying that my site was down until I paid $240 which he now claimed I owed him.
I emailed back with my receipt from him for payment in full, but have gotten NO reply and NO website in over a week.
As the host, he has the power to hold the site hostage and attempt to extort money. I am not playing that game. He doesn't have a brick and mortar place, nor a real business presence and I don't want to bother trying any small claims recourse... I just want my site up, and its control.
This guy is poison, so beware. His name is Jonathan Keller, doing business as West County Media.
Talks good, has experience as tech support and SEO for some big company; put up a website with lots of services, looks ok. Avoid like the plague if you don't want to be ripped off. If you're already in process with him, take precautions and good luck.
So, my REQUEST:
I'm wanting someone well familiar with Word Press to help me reconstruct my site asap at a modest p/h rate.
Appreciate your contacting me. Thanks, Jude