Unprofessional, manipulative and controlling behavior – avoid at all costs
I initially hired this developer via Fiverr(Where he has since been banned from, so they could not assist me) to create a landing page (one-pager) for my project. Communication was decent in the beginning, and the site was delivered as promised. Once the site was completed, I paid in full for the design and hosting services (which he claimed to manage himself through a Hostinger reseller account).
However, several months late the website was taken offline by the developer – despite it being fully paid for. When I asked why the site was down, he claimed that I needed to pay a $144 annual hosting renewal fee, which was never discussed or agreed upon during the initial engagement.
What is also notable is the fact that the Hostinger plan he uses can host up to 25 websites at once. Instead of splitting the annual fee across all his clients, he charges each of them the full $144, maximizing his profit under the pretense that this is a per-client cost. This lack of transparency and fairness speaks volumes about his approach to business.
I asked for clarification and access to my website files or even just a basic backup, and instead of cooperating, the developer began to demand additional fees – first $144, then $250, and later increased it to $500, citing “inconvenience” as the reason. He made it clear that he would not give me access to my own website unless I paid these additional fees, even though I had already paid for the design and initial hosting.
When I tried to resolve things respectfully, he became increasingly aggressive and dismissive, even mocking me in messages and saying things like:
“Get back to me once you’re done crying all over the internet.”
He also refused to provide access to the Hostinger panel or WordPress dashboard, and it became clear that his goal was to keep control over the site to extract more money.
Thankfully, I had proof that the domain belonged to me, and after contacting Hostinger directly and verifying ownership, I was finally able to detach my domain from his account and set up my own hosting plan. But unfortunately, I lost the website files, as he refused to provide any backup unless I paid his ever-changing ransom.
What you should know:
He controls your website behind the scenes via his reseller account.
No transparency in pricing, hosting or access.
No legal agreement or contract protecting your rights as a client.
Unprofessional and manipulative communication – gaslighting, guilt-tripping, and price-gouging.
No guarantee you’ll retain control over your own website after delivery, because he changes passwords.
I would strongly advise anyone looking for a professional and trustworthy developer to stay far away. The experience was not only expensive and frustrating but felt deeply unethical.
You are better off working with someone who respects client ownership, offers transparency, and does not use shady tactics to hold your project hostage
17 July 2025
Unprompted review