Hi All,
My name is Patrick and I have a story that I hope will help some people trying to do business with this individual. I have dedicated many hours on projects which he had outsourced to me from the areas of Oakland California. Many times, he would phone and ask for changes on the fly because he was going into meetings, seeing clients. All this from 3000 miles away. I live in Newfoundland, Canada btw. The trust was there in the beginning, he paid using direct deposit on time. This would happen for months. Until Christmas time came around one year, it was very difficult to get money for work already done. None the less, we resolved out issues, the trust came back and we continued to work jointly. I must over the time, I have learned a lot, and again payments would be regular. Unfortunately, you know where this is going, Christmas time came around again, and he didn't pay. I had work of his that needed to be done, but refused to pay. He bullied, threated to sue, of course, and demanded he deposit some money owed. Wasn't I right in doing this? So finished this work, probably knowing that I would not be paid but did the work anyway in good faith. Today, he owes over $1,500. To some of you, this may not seem like a lot, but it is to me. For a long time, I have contacted him, he promised to pay and so on. Why didn't I have a contract with this individual you might ask, I did. But he is on the other side of this country. To meet him face to face would be a big expense.
I have two points. If you know this individual, and are contemplating doing business with him, ask him to pay up front. If he asks you to supply a retainer, I might think twice.
The sad part is this, I think he is a very smart individual, with a lot of talent and he's built a fair size firm and involves a lot of different individuals. I was fortunate to be a part of that. I had a conversation over the phone with him, he explaining why he was not able to pay. He had to move back home to Vancouver, and deal with serious family illnesses. I can respect that. But can it go on for 8 months. He also mentioned tht right now, where he is not taking on any more projects, he has cut back the amount of projects. He mentioned to me that he was "used to" earning over $10,000 per month. And that now, he is not earning that, he "can't" afford to pay me. What?
Anyways, if anyone can tell me his where abouts now, and if you has been "earning" his usual income, let me know, or let him know, that you just don't do that to people.
37 comments:
This guy has ripped me off too. At the time I was desparate trying to pay my bills here in Las Vegas, with the slow economy that is present, He recruited me on Craigslist. we need to go after this guy, contact anyone he knows, contact the owners of jobs you have completed, contact the labor board in your area, blog away, contact your sources where he recruited you, etc, Unfortunate for him he picked on someone with some vigor and ability, I have the ability to go after him legally, anyone wishing to contact me feel free, Roland Kraft, 702-445-3583
Hi, I am located on Vancouver Island BC Canada. I am also a victim of this scammer William Summers. He owes me over $800.00 for drafting work. Times were tough, and he contacted me, via Craigslist (Nanaimo/Victoria) to do "production architectural drafting" said he paid once a month,was very convincing. I even researched his company, saw his blurb on the weather network, and thought he was someone you could trust. He gave me poor excuses for 3 months as to why he couldn't pay. I did the work in good faith, taking him for his word that he would pay. Fast forward 2 years til today and still no payment. Glad to see that you took the initiative to start this blog so others won't be ripped off if they search his name. I too want to see justice served on this individual (crook). After dealing with him I will NOT conduct any work in good faith anymore. I require a deposit upfront before commencing any work, no matter how convincing the client is. I also require payment for work completed at month end. I don't seem to get as much work with these terms, but at least I am secure in the knowledge that I am getting paid for my time.
Maybe together we can do as Sarah suggested and bring some public shame on this guy!
Sincerely
Bottom Line Drafting
This guy just keeps on going ripping off people left and right cmon people lets get his home address and use dilligence to nail him once and for all. I have recieved over 30 different emails from people who have fallen victim to this scumbag!!!
Upon doing some research I do have a cell phone number for him. It is a Victoria BC phone number.
Here it is
250-213-8368
Still trying to locate him as well.. Anyone else find out more?
This is the last address I have for him, but it is only a PO box. I believe he is living on Vancouver Island.
William Edward Summers, Inc.
Box 44
Cobble Hill
British Columbia
V0R 1L9
Did you ever send anything to that address with success?
(And, crap, it's in Canada, anyone know anything about Small Claims cross-borders?)
Hmmm . . . looks like we're being scammed right now -- dammit!
OK, now, a few hours later, it seems that by really pursuing this, we have gotten some of the deliverables we have paid for but not all. So, it looks to me like not a total, out-right, planned-from-the-start fraud rip-off but possibly a case of overload, incompetent business practice, whatever.
I have called a number of police and government consumer protection authorities here in British Columbia and federally in Canada and have been told essentially that they cannot do anything. I have filed a formal complaint with the "PhoneBusters" the Canadian federal anti-fraud centre. They can investigate if they get enough info. If anyone else wants to register your own experience with this fellow, you can call PhoneBusters in Canada at 1 (888)495-8501.
I still cannot tell if he is trying to be honest and do good work and is somehow unfortunately simply not delivering -- or if he is scheming to rip people off.
Either way, I wish we could forewarn people who are thinking of dealing with him. It's too bad that someone is acting like this.
We've had problems with Mr. Summers also.
We're going to post complaints on: http://www.complaints.com/
and
http://www.complaintsboard.com/
to warn others. I suggest others also post their complaints.
John
I'm not in BC but would be glad to come up and testify or send a description of my situation to anyone who needs it via email (you can get my email at www.strikeforcedesign.net/contact)
When I did work for him his title-blocks listed his business in San Francisco; the Better Business Bureau lists two addresses for Design Envelope.
William Edward Summers, Inc. aka Design Envelope
558 Sutter St #159
San Francisco, CA 94102
William Edward Summers & Associates
186 1857 W 4 Ave
Vancouver, BC V6J 1M4
The San Francisco address is a FedEx. There used to be a second San Francisco address, as well. The other I'm not sure about, but some others have posted court records of attempts to reach him there and never getting him.
I added an additional Blog to try to make sure this info is found when people look for it.
http://williamedwardsummers.blogspot.com/
Hi:
I'm the original poster back in 2007. I never knew so many others were in the same position as me.
I would love to be part of any action againts him and I have another friend who would be involved as well.
Patrick
Sarah and others,
I filed a claim against him for over $5000 in 2008. I trusted WES because he was introduced by my friend. I received nothing because I changed my mind about windows and room size , etc. The court could not serve him because the address I had was not his office. . . as you know. I gave up after trying for a few months. Then the last week I received an email from another victim in Canada. In 10 minutes of searching the SF Bay Area courts on line, I saw many cases against him! I want to contact FBI. I'll join you to stop him from doing more harm. Aki
pls. email:koma@efaw.net
I am also a victim of WES. Very shocked that someone to operate such a callus and intentional scam. Currently meeting with police.
Keep it up people, Mr. Summers aka (Scumbags) is feeling the pinch, he will go down soon. Civil suit staeted in Canada and soon in Us also, Thanks, God bless you all
I have removed most of my posts as I feel I am being maliciously harassed over it. Please feel free to use the attached links to public records in order to do your own research and draw your own conclusions.
http://designenvelope.blogspot.com/
Hi I guess I am the latest to be a victim of this man please contact me if you would like to have some help in getting him as I live on Vancouver Island.
azzaro2u@hotmail.com
his guy is a thief. PLEASE READ before either doing work for this guy or hiring him to do work for you. WILLIAM EDWARDS SUMMERS IS A FRAUD. He scammed me out of $750 before I caught on. I then got a call about a month later from a guy who William Edwards Summers "hired" to do some work for him that he had never paid. Basically, he is a scam artist.
his guy is a thief. PLEASE READ before either doing work for this guy or hiring him to do work for you. WILLIAM EDWARDS SUMMERS IS A FRAUD. He scammed me out of $750 before I caught on. I then got a call about a month later from a guy who William Edwards Summers "hired" to do some work for him that he had never paid. Basically, he is a scam artist.
Glad: If you are in BC give us a call. You should report the matter to the police so that they can expand their file to pursue his frauds. They started a file but didn't have enough complaints to go to the crown prosecutor. Would be happy to provide the details.
As I posted on this site before, he took more than US$5,000 and did nothing. I sued, but could not served him as you know the address in San Francisco is a old gift shop and nothing to do with him. I recently got two cancelled checks to prepare giving to anyone if needed; then I recalled that he wrote in his wife's name on the check to cash them. I could sue his wife. Since he would really care about being a good boy in front of his family according to his friend, this might work (?) Do anyone know where his wife is? I have the original contract and original complain i filed with a local court. I also have a list of people who sued him in the SF bay area. ( I do not know how to download on this blog.) Please let me know if I can do anything. I could come up to Canada, too. A Whitaker
HI, you stated "They started a file but didn't have enough complaints to go to the crown prosecutor. Would be happy to provide the details."
Please let me know what number to call and who to talk to at police station. Thank you, Akino at koma@efaw.net
Really sad. I felt I was one of his best friends, and he ripped us off too. He seems to have no conscious. He even thinks of himself as a deeply religious man. His real problem is perhaps his ego. He has a rich wife and children that he's trying to keep up the front for. He really got lost. You cannot trust him in any fashion.
William Edward Summers is a crap draftsman who claims all sorts of skills and promises to deliver things he never will. I hired him to do a set of plans that were to be delivered in autocad format (to allow for easy revisions). He half delivered terrible hand drawn plans for a simple structure, barely listened to any instruction given even if in writing, and demanded money before showing me the plans. Once I saw the plans and asked for revisions I never heard from him again. The builder laughed at the plans, as did the building inspector. I had to scan them and fix them myself in photoshop.
Waste of time and money. Do not hire him.
He does not do his own drafting- he hires freelance drafters and gives them half-finished plans from the last drafter and his crappy hand drawn plans, then stops emailing the drafter in the middle of the project and refuses to pay. So the reason you're getting ridiculously bad plans is that the people who drew them knew nothing about your project and also didn't get paid. I provide contract drafting to architects for a living, usually very successfully for their clients! Summers is the worst 'client' I ever had. Even after a mediation session with the Canadian court system in which he was ordered to pay his bills and repay his scammed clients, he has not paid (at least me).
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