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How do you deal with unprofessional copywriters?!

by Austingirl24
26 replies
I recently bought a copywriting course that I did not feel benefited me. I asked the teacher of the course for a refund and she ignored me, so I filed a dispute with PayPal. The teacher of the course then found me on LinkedIn, emailed me, threatened and called me names. And claimed that she would publish our email conversation (even all I did was ask her politely to please stop contacting me and I would report her) she continued to send emails, calling me names (a liar and cheat) and mock me. how do I deal with this?
What is the necessary steps to reporting her?

Even after Paypal closed the case she continued to email me and call me names over and over again.
#copywriters #deal #unprofessional
  • Profile picture of the author marciayudkin
    Just put her on your email "ignore" list so you don't even see her messages any more.

    Simple as that.

    Marcia Yudkin
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    • Profile picture of the author Austingirl24
      I did that, only to wake up this morning with another email telling me to pay her for the course or she would release our email conversation (I was being nice and trying to work with her and she was bein aggressive).

      Long story she blackmailed me for money.
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      • Profile picture of the author yukon
        Banned
        Originally Posted by Austingirl24 View Post

        I did that, only to wake up this morning with another email telling me to pay her for the course or she would release our email conversation (I was being nice and trying to work with her and she was bein aggressive).

        Long story she blackmailed me for money.


        So you obviously didn't block the email.

        Block the email and If they use other emails, block those...
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        • Profile picture of the author Austingirl24
          I did block the email addresses and she keeps coming up with more. It's just getting old. It went from being funny to just plain pathetic.

          As a freelancer, her putting those emails could maybe (highly doubt it) harm me, but I've heard of this happening to people and harming in a bigger ways than they thought.
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  • Profile picture of the author angiecolee
    Heed the advice of the others. If there's one thing I've learned, it's don't kiss and tell. I don't air details and dirty laundry unless it's one on one and I'm trying to save a colleague from heartache.

    Tattling is immature and unprofessional, as is whining about having been wronged by a buyer. Everyone's had a less than stellar experience - you learn something and do better next time.

    Walk away. This isn't blackmail, especially if your polite emails only requested a refund.

    And for crying out loud, check the refund policy if you're gonna be that picky about your copy education.

    Frankly I'd say you learned enough from the course and the whole experience to justify the expense and stop freaking out about money.
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    • Profile picture of the author Austingirl24
      Originally Posted by angiecolee View Post

      Heed the advice of the others. If there's one thing I've learned, it's don't kiss and tell. I don't air details and dirty laundry unless it's one on one and I'm trying to save a colleague from heartache.

      Tattling is immature and unprofessional, as is whining about having been wronged by a buyer. Everyone's had a less than stellar experience - you learn something and do better next time.

      Walk away. This isn't blackmail, especially if your polite emails only requested a refund.

      And for crying out loud, check the refund policy if you're gonna be that picky about your copy education.

      Frankly I'd say you learned enough from the course and the whole experience to justify the expense and stop freaking out about money.
      Angie,

      you're totally right. Checked the refund policy and said 60 days. I asked for a refund after 2 days. I'm not really picky but it was my first copywriting course so I was excited... only to realize that the ebook was written in a day and general info that you can find on a free blog. I'm not trying to down here but I appreciate anyone that is willing to share their skills and I love supporting "small businesses"

      To be honest, she could have totally talked me into keeping the ebook and not getting back my money. If she had really tried to figure out the root of the problem but she was hostile and aggressive from the first contact. I think I just got super angry when I woke up to an email demanding I pay for the ebook, or our emails would be aired to her followers. So...not...cool.
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      • Profile picture of the author desireedavid
        That's what I would have done, too. Try to find out why the client is asking for their money back, try to solve the problem by correcting the error or supply what was lacking in the provided service.

        You get feedback about your products and services from clients. No one else can give you better feedback than them. So she should have taken your request for a refund professionally.

        It is unfortunate that you experienced this. Just chalk it up to experience.
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        “Creativity is intelligence having fun.” – Albert Einstein
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  • Profile picture of the author angiecolee
    Stop buying into the drama. You don't have to play ball just because she's got a bat and is screaming at you. If you stop being her source of drama, she'll find someone else to play ball with, promise.

    Errors in judgment and mistakes are part of your career trajectory. Stop worrying about her lack of professionalism and start worrying about yours.

    You focus on conducting yourself with integrity and professionalism, and she can scream all she wants and watch it roll off you.
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    • Profile picture of the author Austingirl24
      You have no clue how much I needed to hear that Angie. It seem to minor but thank you. Seriously.
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  • Profile picture of the author angiecolee
    If you're serious about your copy/business education, all of these encounters are part of it. Something to learn from every interaction and experience, good or bad.
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    • Profile picture of the author Austingirl24
      Oh yeah for sure. I totally learned a huge lesson from this.
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  • Profile picture of the author Woomeister
    Send her the legal definition of harassment in your country. If she kept sending emails and threats of defamation of character in the UK you would have the law on your side, use the threat of the law to end it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Austingirl24
      You see most sane people would have stopped the first time they were asked. Obviously this woman is not sane because she is still sending threats.
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  • Profile picture of the author marciayudkin
    You see most sane people would have stopped the first time they were asked. Obviously this woman is not sane because she is still sending threats.
    Drop it. As Angie said, stop feeding the drama.

    You are beginning to give the impression that you are not a sane person, either.

    Marcia Yudkin
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  • Profile picture of the author Austingirl24
    Marica, It has already been established what I was going to do which is ignore the person.
    There was no need for you to circle back to leave a rude comment.
    Next time read the thread before commenting.
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  • Profile picture of the author winbig007
    Ignore and delete.
    Block her "everywhere you can. Get her off your Facebook, Linkedin etc.
    Best to move on. Really, what happens even "if" she posts some random email. Where? What's the penetration that will ever get? Almost nothing.
    Stop worrying and move on.
    If she shows up at your house, call the police. I had to do that once. It wasn't pretty, but it was effective. - but unlikely it goes that far.
    Good lesson though. Be sure you know who you are dealing with and their policies before you enter an agreement.
    Good luck and best wishes this Thanksgiving.
    Tony
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  • Profile picture of the author desireedavid
    Delete her and block her from all sources of communication -- email, social media, your phone. This happened to me before as well. I understand how sometimes, you get so angry because the other party said too much and you just want to send a snarky response right back. But we have to remain professional and be the bigger person.

    So anytime she sends you something (if she finds another channel to contact you), breathe, and just click "DELETE".

    Does she think doing that to you would make you pay her? NO. Definitely NO.
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    • Profile picture of the author Austingirl24
      Good vibes to you my friend! <3 totally a learned lesson. you're right as freelancers it's so hard to be not be snarky back because we are human too. And I felt so angry and hurt because the online world as been really kind to me as newbie freelancers and then here comes this lady trying to slit my throat. But all of you are right. I officially ignored her and decided to be a bigger person. I feel bad for her honestly
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      • Profile picture of the author desireedavid
        Each one of us should employ proper business communication ethics. I guess she missed that class.
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  • Profile picture of the author Princess Balestra
    Hey, today is Black Friday, so I figure the portal to Hades must be open sumplace.

    Find it, an' all we gotta do is figure out howta operate a bulldozer without squishin' any kittens.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    Marica, It has already been established what I was going to do which is ignore the person.
    There was no need for you to circle back to leave a rude comment.
    Next time read the thread before commenting.
    So you insult one of the most experienced copywriters in this section...?

    There's a lesson here that will serve you well in the future:

    our emails would be aired to her followers.
    Never say anything in an email or skype, etc, conversation - that you would be embarrassed to see aired in public. Don't lose your cool - don't threaten - don't use foul language. You can be strong and even aggressive and still remain professional (not that hard if you ARE a writer).

    If you always follow that rule - any time someone threatens you with "I'll show everyone what you said" - you can say "go for it" and walk away without a care. Takes the wind right out of their sails.

    ...and what does it matter what her followers think, anyway?
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    • Profile picture of the author angiecolee
      Originally Posted by Kay King View Post


      Never say anything in an email or skype, etc, conversation - that you would be embarrassed to see aired in public. Don't lose your cool - don't threaten - don't use foul language. You can be strong and even aggressive and still remain professional (not that hard if you ARE a writer).
      My friends often approach me to ask me to help them write what I like to call "thinly veiled rage" letters. Politest wording you could ever encounter. Not a single ******* doubt that I'm pissed off and expect resolution.

      One of those letters got famed Consumer Advocate Marvin Zindler (famous in Houston, anyway) to take up a case for my mom, who'd been ripped off.

      But here's the thing that may separate me from others - I write the feelings in the letter. I send the letter, which now contains the feelings. Maybe it's visualization of sorts? But once I put it down on paper, I'm generally free of those emotions until the next step has to happen.

      I have had to write multiple letters for the same issue before, but the writing itself seems to do a lot to get it out of ME and onto paper, so I no longer have to hold on to it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Austingirl24
      Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

      So you insult one of the most experienced copywriters in this section...?

      There's a lesson here that will serve you well in the future:

      Never say anything in an email or skype, etc, conversation - that you would be embarrassed to see aired in public. Don't lose your cool - don't threaten - don't use foul language. You can be strong and even aggressive and still remain professional (not that hard if you ARE a writer).

      If you always follow that rule - any time someone threatens you with "I'll show everyone what you said" - you can say "go for it" and walk away without a care. Takes the wind right out of their sails.

      ...and what does it matter what her followers think, anyway?

      Kay you're absolutely right! One I should have not been rude to Marica who was trying to help. and two I shouldn't have got all emotional about being "blackmailed".

      Like I explained in the last post, I think I got so emotional that someone would be so rude especially since I'm new to freelancing that I felt like oh no she is going to ruin my freelancing career and convince future clients to not work with me and I just got started!

      But everyone is right, ignore her, her words have no power over me. It's a reflection of her attitude and not mine.

      Thanks to everyone who commented and helped. Lesson 1 to freelancing - Get thick skin, some people will be mean.
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  • Profile picture of the author marciayudkin
    So you insult one of the most experienced copywriters in this section...?
    Kay, I was not insulted.

    My point was just that when a problem is resolved, let it go.

    If you don't let it go, if you continue to belabor it, then you put yourself at risk of being as much at fault as the person you are blaming for creating the problem.

    Some people are not ready to learn this lesson. They prefer to see themselves as victimized. "Someone did this bad thing to me!" If they continue to hold on to that blame, and hold on and hold on, then they become the ones victimizing themselves.

    Would you rather be right in your accusations or would you rather be free of the problem?

    Once an old monk and a young monk came to a river where a beautiful young girl was wondering how she could cross. The old monk carried her across the river.

    A few hours later, the young monk admonished the older one, "We are monks, we are not supposed to touch women. Why did you carry her?"

    "That girl? I put her down hours ago, but you are still carrying her," the old monk replied.

    Marcia Yudkin
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    • Profile picture of the author Austingirl24
      Originally Posted by marciayudkin View Post

      Kay, I was not insulted.

      My point was just that when a problem is resolved, let it go.

      If you don't let it go, if you continue to belabor it, then you put yourself at risk of being as much at fault as the person you are blaming for creating the problem.

      Some people are not ready to learn this lesson. They prefer to see themselves as victimized. "Someone did this bad thing to me!" If they continue to hold on to that blame, and hold on and hold on, then they become the ones victimizing themselves.

      Would you rather be right in your accusations or would you rather be free of the problem?

      Once an old monk and a young monk came to a river where a beautiful young girl was wondering how she could cross. The old monk carried her across the river.

      A few hours later, the young monk admonished the older one, "We are monks, we are not supposed to touch women. Why did you carry her?"

      "That girl? I put her down hours ago, but you are still carrying her," the old monk replied.

      Marcia Yudkin
      Sorry Marcia, I was not trying to be insulting, I was a little emotional and took it out on you. You're right I should have let it go. I'm new to freelancing so I got a little bothered that someone threatened to "expose me" and try to ruin a career I didn't even get started in! I guess it just sucks that someone decides to get aggressive instead of figuring out the root of the problem (that her stuff was fluff.)

      But once again I apologize for the rude comment I left.
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  • Profile picture of the author bluemotion
    Originally Posted by Austingirl24 View Post

    I recently bought a copywriting course that I did not feel benefited me. I asked the teacher of the course for a refund and she ignored me, so I filed a dispute with PayPal. The teacher of the course then found me on LinkedIn, emailed me, threatened and called me names. And claimed that she would publish our email conversation (even all I did was ask her politely to please stop contacting me and I would report her) she continued to send emails, calling me names (a liar and cheat) and mock me. how do I deal with this?
    What is the necessary steps to reporting her?

    Even after Paypal closed the case she continued to email me and call me names over and over again.
    Reply to her email and tell her that if you get one more email from her you will make a youtube video exposing her as a charlatan and a cheat. You don't actually have to do it just threaten her with it.
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