Compromise integrity for sales?

14 replies
Had a client on Fiverr the other day was really happy with my service and all of a sudden started sending me big bucks for the work I've been doing for him. That seemed a bit strange to me so I did a check up on him and find out he was involved in some ponzi schemes and was prosecuted. Finding this out I just refunded him all the money he had paid me and asked him not to use my work in any way. Hence this question...

Would you compromise your integrity for getting the sale?
#compromise #integrity #sales
  • Profile picture of the author Vincent Abrugar
    I think the guy was just happy that you did a great job, and he send you money to show his appreciation. There's nothing wrong about that. As long as you're doing legit work I don't see anything wrong about that, even if you're client is an ex-con.
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    • Profile picture of the author TheInfoMarket
      Yeah, I would have done the same as you. There's no point risking your reputation, for a short term profit.
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    How were you compromising? Because you accepted payment outside of the fiverr system? I don't understand your post.
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  • Profile picture of the author retsced
    I'm lost here. How are you compromising your integrity? A happy client wants to pay you extra for a job well done (it does happen you know) If we all snooped into the lives of the people who purchase our products every day, I'm sure we'd come across some very, very shady characters indeed, but we don't because their business is THEIR business.
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    • Profile picture of the author MissTerraK
      I'm a bit confused as well.

      If you are providing a client a service, (I'm going to take a risk and assume that it is web graphics since that is what is in your sig) and the client in turn uses those graphics, how then is your reputation or integrity at risk? Do all of your graphics carry your name on them?

      Anyway, unless you were accepting kick backs or a percentage of sales from the client for your work, I see no compromise of your integrity at all.

      Terra
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      • Profile picture of the author cititoru
        Originally Posted by MissTerraK View Post

        I'm a bit confused as well.

        If you are providing a client a service, (I'm going to take a risk and assume that it is web graphics since that is what is in your sig) and the client in turn uses those graphics, how then is your reputation or integrity at risk? Do all of your graphics carry your name on them?
        Terra
        If the graphics are used for something not quite legal, he gets prosecuted again and my name linked to his then yes, I am risking my reputation and/or integrity here. No, the graphics do not carry my name, but you can easily track paypal transactions.
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        • Profile picture of the author MissTerraK
          Originally Posted by cititoru View Post

          Ok, probably I should have been clearer. He wanted me to Photoshop him with celebrities, and I have seen this before with people involved in ponzi schemes, so with a quick Google search found him in the prosecution story. I don't want to be involved in his next shonky deal. I know there are people who appreciate good quality work and reward you accordingly, but don't get such a big jump in payments from $5 to $100.
          Originally Posted by cititoru View Post

          If the graphics are used for something not quite legal, he gets prosecuted again and my name linked to his then yes, I am risking my reputation and/or integrity here. No, the graphics do not carry my name, but you can easily track paypal transactions.
          Thank you for the clarification as it indeed does shed more light onto the situation.

          Given the same circumstances, I would have done the very same as you and to answer your original question, no, I would never compromise my integrity for sales.

          Terra
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  • Profile picture of the author cititoru
    Ok, probably I should have been clearer. He wanted me to Photoshop him with celebrities, and I have seen this before with people involved in ponzi schemes, so with a quick Google search found him in the prosecution story. I don't want to be involved in his next shonky deal. I know there are people who appreciate good quality work and reward you accordingly, but don't get such a big jump in payments from $5 to $100.
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  • Profile picture of the author glennshep
    I see the OP's point but I suppose it all depends on the circumstances. For example, coming from England I'd never heard of Todd Gross until yesterday, but I understand that he's a well-known TV celebrity who now hires out his services as a voiceover/video presenter. Now, could you imagine him being very happy if he'd made a glowing video presentation endorsing a particular product or website, only to discover later that the thing he's endorsing or that he's seen as representing is shady or illegal? In this instance it could do damage to his reputation to be seen, in the public's eye, as being linked with something dodgy. If I were in a situation like that I would most certainly not want my name, face or service associated with such a thing.

    But as MissTerraK said, if it's a service that's more 'generic' (for want of a better word) such as providing web graphics or some other such impersonal type of service then I don't see that there should be a problem. You're just providing a service and you have no control as to how it's used afterwards. A somewhat extreme example perhaps, but if someone bought a knife from Walmart (do they sell knives at Walmart?) and used it to kill someone, would Walmart be reasonable in insisting that the money be refunded? They'd have no way of knowing how that knife was going to be used.

    On the other hand, if before providing my services I knew or suspected that they were going to be used in something dodgy (like selling a knife to someone who was known or suspected to be intending to kill somebody with it) then I wouldn't want to do anything to support it so no, in that instance I wouldn't compromise
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  • Profile picture of the author ronrule
    Originally Posted by cititoru View Post

    Had a client on Fiverr the other day was really happy with my service and all of a sudden started sending me big bucks for the work I've been doing for him. That seemed a bit strange to me so I did a check up on him and find out he was involved in some ponzi schemes and was prosecuted. Finding this out I just refunded him all the money he had paid me and asked him not to use my work in any way. Hence this question...

    Would you compromise your integrity for getting the sale?
    I don't think anyone is beyond redemption... lots of people do dumb things early in life and learn from their mistakes. So the guy was a good tipper, so what?
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    Prosecuted. Was he convicted? Do you know that he was going to use these photos to defraud? I probably would have done the same as you and passed on the assignment.

    Lemme ask you something. If someone came to you and wanted you to put them with lady gaga at their dinner table for a joke, would you do that?
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    • Profile picture of the author cititoru
      Originally Posted by travlinguy View Post

      Prosecuted. Was he convicted? Do you know that he was going to use these photos to defraud? I probably would have done the same as you and passed on the assignment.

      Lemme ask you something. If someone came to you and wanted you to put them with lady gaga at their dinner table for a joke, would you do that?
      For a joke yes, why not? Initially this is what I thought this guy was doing. But we had cases here in Australia where these sort of people associate themselves with celebrities to gain credibility and sucker people into their schemes. This prompted me to search up his name and sure enough he most likely is doing the same thing. I couldn't have slept well at night knowing this guy might use it for something dodgy.
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      • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
        Originally Posted by cititoru View Post

        For a joke yes, why not? Initially this is what I thought this guy was doing. But we had cases here in Australia where these sort of people associate themselves with celebrities to gain credibility and sucker people into their schemes. This prompted me to search up his name and sure enough he most likely is doing the same thing. I couldn't have slept well at night knowing this guy might use it for something dodgy.
        I understand. You did the right thing. I would have done the same.
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  • Profile picture of the author SShip
    In my opinion, you did the right thing. I would have definitely done the same thing as you did. If something just doesn't feel right follow your gut.
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