Beware of Kevin Wolfe/Eric Jasco Williams (FRAUD!)

Community resources Freelance & Jobs
1

Hello all Freelancers,

Please be aware of the guy known as “Kevin Wolfe” or “Eric Jasco Williams”. He’s a fraud.

It started in 2015, when I was contacted by “Kevin Wolfe” through the Webflow “hire me” function to ask if I could redesign parts of his website company “Cowen Capital”. Just a simple task, and resulted in an invoice 150 euro. After months of sending out reminders, I gave up on it. Also noticed the company website was down by then, disappeared. So did that guy. Well, “shit happens” I thought!

Then a year later I was contacted by a guy named “Eric Jasco”, asking me to design a website for his charity “Feed USA” (my subdomain link still online; http://feed-usa.webflow.io/). He paid the first 2 invoices, so that built trust. However, I found it very odd that he used a PayPal account under the name “Kevin Wolfe”. Coincidence, I thought. But later int he process, he used a Kevin Wolfe email address as well, and then a bell rang. But I didn’t think much of it then, after all he paid 2 invoices already. He also shared his Webflow login, so that built trust too. Later he admitted Kevin Wolfe was a former-partner or something vague. But I’m pretty sure they are the same person.

We started another, larger, project involving a webshop design with Shopify integration and later a custom Shopify theme based on a Webflow design I did. A webshop called “Lip Liquid” (part of my webflow design still online at https://lip-liquid.webflow.io/). I hired a developer for the Shopify development, paid the developer, etc. However, after sending out reminders for the final invoices, the guy disappeared.

After sending out reminders for months, the guy suddenly responded that he would pay the remaining 2000 USD as soon as possible. We kept sending out emails about the remaining balance, and he kept giving excuses. The weird thing, he was actually responding to all my reminders, for months! But nothing ever happened.

So now this guy still owes me 2000 dollars for a lot of work I’ve done, and a lot of frustration. Please be aware of this guy.

From what I’ve learned this guy is known under the names;

  • Kevin Wolfe
  • Kevin T. Wolfe
  • Eric Jasco,
  • Eric Williams
  • Eric Jasco Williams

Is/was active under these email addresses;

Seems to be active/was active under multiple “scam” businesses;

Many of these “companies” can be found on review sites like the one below. Clearly stating other people have been scammed, too;

The so called “Feed USA Charity” seems a scam, too, by looking some of the registered information;

Facebook Reviews obviously being totally fake;

Most of these business are eventually being referred to his address. Also verified by PayPal transactions I received and credit info I have on file (with the Webflow and Shopify access I once received from him;

2060 Whittaker Pkwy
Orangeburg, SC 29115
Verenigde Staten

I have a large amount of attachments available to proof his scam-business(es), and the thousands of excuses he shared with me about not being able to pay, or that he would pay within a few days. I have credit card info, 2 different addresses (verified by PayPal or used in his different accounts, I have various invoices, almost a hundred emails and more). If anyone has issues with this guy as well, I’ll be happy to share my file with you.

Be aware!

7 Likes
2

Thanks for the heads up Rowan! So sorry to hear about this, you truly do clean, amazing, valuable work.

  • Scott
3 Likes
3

…:frowning: 100% agree with @Scott_Van_Zandt

1 Like
4

Thanks @Scott_Van_Zandt

1 Like
5

This is a good opportunity to reinforce the importance of milestones so we are never out that much if things go south.

I usually do 1/3rd deposit, 1/3rd due at half way mile stone, and the last 3rd due as a final payment at time of completion. At any given time you lose 1/3rd, if it happens at all.

Unfortunate to hear you got burned.

1 Like
6

Project Feed USA Inc.
Also Known As: Project Feed
127A Dwight St
Jersey City, NJ 07305

GENERAL INFORMATION
This organization is a 501(c)(3) Public Charity.
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990-N.
Web Site
www.feedusa.org

EIN: 47-4862598
Chief Executive: Kevin Wolfe
Contact: Mr Kevin Wolfe, Director
Telephone: 551 -232-4299
E-mail: kevin@feedusa.org
Year Founded: 2015
Ruling Year: 2015
Assets: $0
(from NaN, IRS BMF)

3 Likes
7

True! I work with 50% at start and 50% at end. But a 1/3 is maybe even safer. In this case however, there was already some kind of trust that I didn’t do it in that specific project. My bad…

Although I’ve only had this situation 1 time before this in working 4 years a a full time freelancer. So fortunately it’s a rare thing to happen.

1 Like
9

Unless I’ve seen you in this forum on a (somewhat) regular basis…

  • I don’t go after any work from this forum at all.

I’ve dealt with the same guy @rowan ran into

  • with the same result

All my work comes from

  • word of mouth or
  • agencies that I’ve worked with for years.

They know ahead of time what my prices is. And what I expect.

I’ve also had a “designer” (James) on here try to take me for a ride…

He “didn’t have time” to do the work… so he “farmed it out to me”.

Problem was… there never really was a project.

He was fishing for prices and wanted me to develop
an entire product that he could bring to the client and “try to sell it”.

I found this out when an agency I use contacted me about a potential project…

  • and the client was the business the James was trying to sell to.
1 Like
10

Hi @rowan

Sorry to hear about your experience with this jerk. I’ve been caught out myself a few years ago by a ‘conversion optimisation guru’ called Eric Graham, so I know how it feels.

Maybe a 65/35 or 60/20/20 split is worth considering to avoid being out of pocket too much. I doubt it would deter genuine buyers.

@Webflow, just a thought, but what about a review system for buyers and vendors?

Cheers, Graham

2 Likes
11

Thank you guys for sharing those experiences!
I also thing that we should have a category on the forums about scams and fraud.

1 Like
12

I had the same guy approach me last month, Said @rowan was doing his work, sounded fish and vague, so I passed on the job. There are a lot of sharks out there looking to take advantage of freelancers

1 Like
13

Wuut? Really? For what kind of project??

1 Like
14

It was for a virtual golf range project. He was from the US

1 Like
15

wow, i did some work for this guy, i guess. It was FullSwing Golf?

Renan

1 Like
16

Did you get paid ok? He was so vague with the project it seemed fishy

1 Like
17

Huh? You guys talking about someone else I think. I worked on some projects with someone from a company called SDSharp, who also works for fullswinggolf.com. That’s definitely not the guy in this topic.

1 Like
18

Sure, it’s not the same guy.

1 Like
19

Sorry about that Rowan.

Unrealistically low budgets, quick turnarounds and work-now-pay-later arrangements are very characteristic of scammers or just plain old cheats in this kinda work.

Always demand for the upfront deposit. Its hard I know but it might save us all some man hours in the future.


Thanks for the update.
3 Likes
20

@rowan sorry to hear about your troubles mate. Unless I have an existing relationship with a client I prefer to use pre-paid time blocks. This has been the best billing decision I’ve ever made for my business. The way it works is I have several tiers i.e 4hr, 10hr etc and each has a different discount level that benefits the customer when they buy more at once. I get paid up front and never have to collect and they get a discount. So simple and no chasing after clients when the job is done!

4 Likes
21

If this is the guy - my condolences: Kevin Wolfe Obituary | Star Tribune

1 Like