Protection against fraudulent clients

Davy

Hey guys!

I was flicking through some ads asking for PHP developers and it had occured to em that a good few of them were reposts saying a previous developer had scarpered and that it MAYBE be the other way around.

The developer is screwed if he does loadsa work and thent hey don't pay, right?

Well I wanted to ask if there is a way one can prevent this? Like offer a semi functional website minus the core part that isn't a bitch to instal or somthing easier?

The easiest one that comes to my mind is having an include file with all the used variables. Ok so say if this file wasn't included with the package handed over on the due date? The site would be replaced with tons of errors, notices and warnings... but what if they are over run with false variables that make the site work, but all over the shop?

Say have the wrong variables first, then include the file that would write over these variables with the correct variables?

Hand the package over, get paid then send them the file with the correct variables? Or maybe too much?

Escrowing services are all well and good but say the goods are demo'd. They are turned down but the bastards still have my PHP script and don't have to pay me because they told the escrowed service that the deal is off.

Or if I demo'd the site on my own server... if I was to give them the script then I would have to assign the db connection details to an include file and use them as variables...

I dno...what systems have you guys used or heard about? How do you think one can best protect one's self from fraudulent scum?

drawmack

I get half my pay up front (if other service industries can do it then so can I).

I do the work on my server, after they approve what is up and running on my server and show their approval by paying half the remaining monies I install a heavily obfuscaed version on their server for a 72 hours testing period.

At the end of the 72 hours testing I uninstall the ubfuscated version.

After receiving the final payment I install the final version on their servers.

However, since I instituted the pay half up front I have not had a single person stiff me on payment. I explain it to weary clients by saying. If I code this for you then I have placed a time investment into the system. Therefor I have a vested interest in making it work. All I'm asking for is a partial payment from you so that you also have a vested interest in bringing the project to completion.

Davy

But sites such as rentacoder has strict policies against up front payment! Buggers... but then they have escrow services?

Obfuscated? Explain that one please? How do you do it and why is it effective in our situation?

Sxooter

The key here is that you don't give the customer the chance to just steal the code. Keeping said code on your own server ensures they pay you before delivery, but after completion. That should meet the needs of places like rentacoder, since the client isn't paying up front, they're paying after the code is done but before it's been installed / delivered.

The cost of having a server on the net is pretty low compared the cost of having code stolen and not paid for.

drawmack

Originally posted by Davy
Obfuscated? Explain that one please? How do you do it and why is it effective in our situation?

It's a little PERL script I wrote. Goes through the finished code and does the following

removes all comments
removes all line returns
removes all white space
renames all variables, functions and classes to things like _xv6987qbd

The code runs fine in this manor since the interpreter doesn't care about formatting and logical names however it is mearly impossible to edit the programs in any way from their original. Also in the obfuscated code a little thing at the bottom that says program not paid for on each page and it does this in an obfuscated manor as well.

Mind you before they even have the opportunity to steal this code I've gotten paid for 75% of the job.

BTW: I don't work through Rent A Coder, I don't work through anyone who disallows me to charge up front for work. There are legal avenues a client can take if I stiff them.

Davy

Ok thanks guys 🙂