IMPORTANT: Very real possibility mynecraft.com host is a scam artist

Raziaar

Raziaar

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As I posted in the other thread, I found this site after typing the name Steven Hammerly into google.

http://www.angelfire.com/ct3/scamartist/

It's a shitty angelfire website, but it details a scam artist by the name of Steven Hammerly in Connecticut.

The thing is, this is the guy who hosts mynecraft.com and I know this for a fact. He's in connecticut, his name is Steven Hammerly, his minecraft forum name is punk4hire(same as a site listed in the page). There is no question this is the dude.

I have been reading complaints on the minecraft forums about mynecraft failing service. I have a good guy on the minecraft forums named jonathanbloom I've been in contact with and he's been unable to contact Steve like I have been unable to, and his serve has been shitty as well.

This Sponsor for mynecraft called The Shaft podcast no longer sponsors mynecraft.
http://twitter.com/TheShaftPodcast

Read this from their forums... http://deadworkers.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=173&t=5486



There have been vandals on the mynecraft website posting what a "liar and a thief" Steve is.

Everything is leading me to believe that we've been part of the latest dealings of a scam artist... and what's worse is he managed to get a second charge off my card even before the due date and when he said he wasn't going to be charging it anymore.




Worst of all, worse than the money, is that I can no longer download map/server information from the mynecraft site. That option has been removed. The Shaft Podcast server has been unable to get their map/server information either.

So I think we're going to be royally screwed. Me, monetarily, and you guys... with all your progress and time spent on the server.


I am sorry guys... I never expected this to happen. I feared this as the worst possible outcome and I mentioned this when we were getting started... and it looks like it's coming to pass. I'm really demoralized and depressed right now. I'm completely sick over this.

While I cannot promise I'll be able to get our server information back any newer than we left it when Hokey stopped hosting, none of your donations will be applied for this fiasco. Everything you guys donated is still in my paypal account, and all charges have been from my card only. I will eat up any costs that this ends up being. But I also will have to remove myself from the process dealing with the aftermath of this... finding a new host, handling the money, etc.

I'm sorry guys. :(
 
Shit...no one would have expected this...
 
This is terrible, make sure you contact your card company ASAP Razziar and dispute the charge.

What a son of a bitch.
 
We should get 4chan to rape this guy in the buttocks
 
Ouch... :(

This hurts to hear, Raz you should be sure to talk to the credit card company and see if you can get all the charges reversed.

It would be nice if you could get your hands on a recent build, but if not I won't complain too much. Just take care of yourself first.
 
Solaris said:
This is terrible, make sure you contact your card company ASAP Razziar and dispute the charge.

What a son of a bitch.
Click to expand...

Most likely I won't be able to do anything about it... I paid using my debit card. I don't have a credit card.

The thing is, he said the server was free... But then he charges it again recently? That's ****ed up, and a total sign it's a long slow scam. Either that or he popped off one last charge before bailing out.

I know guys... I know. It's stupid of me to have used a debit card, but really I didn't have many other choices. Honestly I didn't expect any of this to happen, even though deep in my gut, as I posted before when we were getting started with it, that I might be taken in by a scammer since they were all upstarts.

The $80 I might have to end up swallowing doesn't bother me as much as the lost server information that may happen. If we can't get that most recent map build I am going to be completely devastated, because that's an utter failing on my part for you guys... to have lost a month of my time, and countless hours of your time building stuff and dealing with the headaches of all this.

Tomorrow during lunch I'm going to chat with my bank... see what can be done. If I can't dispute the latest charge, I'll have to report my card lost and just eat the charges.


JUST KNOW THIS. I haven't used the paypal donation money on anything. It's still in my paypal account ready for me to send off to whoever is going to take charge of the next(hopefully successful) venture to find a host. All $94.75 of it. I had a recent $50 donation(you know who you are) which is why it's so high.

And if anybody wanted their donations back, I can do that.

I just want you guys to know... WE GOT SCAMMED... but I'm not scamming you.
 
You might be able to scrape up enough personal info to take him to small claims court.
 
Find the guy's address and I'll go pay him a visit, personally.
 
I don't regret anything. We just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Shit happens. We'll find a new host. It's a shame people have to stoop this low.

In other news. I just purchased the cpu for my new comp. So eventually, i'll be able to host again, if you guys are ok with it. I don't think it'll be as stressful as it was, since i'll have another computer entirely to play games on while still hosting the server at 100%.
 
Well, Shit...

Raz, I hope you can get this squared away with your bank and get those charges reversed. Keep my donation, and use it on the next server.
 
Oh, I still have the last three backups I did.

Sept. 27th
Oct. 1st
and
Oct. 4th

So, even if we did lose THAT map, we wouldn't be completely without. I even kept the server information. It might have to be updated a little, but yeah.
 
is mynecraft.com the problem?? or is this guy?? cuz if its the website we should tell that to better business bureau
 
I'd just like to say that, although I haven't donated so can't really speak for those who have, no doubt everyone here is very impressed and grateful for the work Razziar has been putting into this.
 
Yeah, Raziaar is blameless in all of this, and has acted in good faith throughout. The effort he's put in should be applauded.
 
I didn't know that you couldn't dispute a charge on a debit card. Technically, in online sales its used as if it were a credit card anyway. You should still call your bank.
 
he's climbin in your windows he's snatchin your people up tryna rape em so y'all need to hide your kids, hide your wife hide your kids, hide your ...

no seriously though, this guy should pay you back. scam artists that upsell you something is one thing (ebay) but scam artists that steal from you are the worst
 
Shit that's awful. My condolences guys, especially Raz (I say my condolences because since you switched to mynecraft I haven't had time to play on the server anyway so it hasn't really affected me). Good luck finding a new host Raz. Maybe get in contact with the guy whose forum post you linked to ask him who he's gone to?
 
I know I don't really play Minecraft with you guys, but shit, this sucks.

Raz, as others have said, it's totally not your fault, you've done the best you can and acted with the best intentions. I hope the bank can get you your money back.
 
Actually, they probably could if you tell them within 3 days of the charge as it takes that long to make a payment.
 
Don't beat yourself up about it, you put in a mighty fine effort. Losing a bunch of virtual blocks, while frustrating, isn't that big a deal. If I were you I'd contact the bank to see if there's any way of reversing the charges, then try to put this whole wild-goose chase out of my mind.
 
That really sucks. You dont have to apologize Raziaar because this is not your fault, no one could of predicted this. You have put a lot of effort into this and have endured a lot of stress to get things up and running. I think you deserve a giant cow statue ingame once we get a new server ;)
 
Just woke up, getting ready for work.

Thanks for all the responses guys.

The charge just cleared, and yep, it's from "Hidden Magic Consulting"

During lunch today I'm going to call and talk with my bank about it.

Again, thanks for all the positive responses regarding this. The money doesn't really concern me honestly. It's the whole fact that we got taken for and our world and play experience has suffered for it. All of that is more important than 40-80 bucks to me.

It just saddens me to think that we've been pushing all along the way fighting these problems, not knowing what a real problem we were going to end up facing with this guy.
 
Raziaar said:
It just saddens me to think that we've been pushing all along the way fighting these problems, not knowing what a real problem we were going to end up facing with this guy.
Click to expand...

Why do we fall down Masta' Wayne?
 
yall beat his ass whit a pickaxe so he get the minecraft revenge
 
He's quite a pleasant looking fella actually, well, most sociopaths are.
 
Hey phantom, thanks for posting that. Saves me the time having to do it.

Talked with my bank while at work. I have to fill out a form to try and get my money back. Don't concern yourself with how it goes... as I said before I'm fine if I absolutely lose the money. It's not the money that gets to me, it's the fact we were scammed and that we lost our world progress for an entire month.

I guess we need to figure out where we're going to go from here. I will still admin and stuff if you guys want, but I don't really wish to be a part of finding a new host/dealing with the new host. I've had too much stress from this ordeal. I can manage the paypal money if you guys want no problem, or I can send it to another person.

Whatever works best for you guys.
 
Well that sucks. You're a good man Raz <3
 
Indeed, I commend you for putting up with this ordeal.
 
Perhaps this is a opportunity to start on a completely new map?
 
Oh dear, this is sad news. I would suggest Raz that although you are mostly upset at the lost gaming experience from this fiasco the greatest remedy would be to see you and the others he scammed get together and destroy this guys name & associations. That would make everyone feel a lot better.
 
Mellish said:
Perhaps this is a opportunity to start on a completely new map?
Click to expand...

First things first, I'm so proud and amazed at how well Raz is dealing with this. Thanks for all of your hard work, Raz!
I totally agree with Mel, though.
 
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