(no subject)

[aerospiritual.livejournal.com]

WHO: Nathradas/Sturmschwinge

WHERE: FurAffinity

WHAT: Full color single character piece, no background.

This is a follow up posting to my previous entries seen here:
http://artists-beware.livejournal.com/679299.html
http://artists-beware.livejournal.com/724656.html

I am mostly posting this to advise others that this artist has not refunded me or the other people she owes and has in fact, skipped accounts, while claiming that she has no inspiration and can't meet her obligations.

PROOF:
On Nov. 4th, 2013, Nathradas posts this journal explaining her situation.
Feeling pretty fed up at this point, I do post a response because I've really had enough of this, especially when I've only found out about her leaving the internet "forever" months after the fact.
At the beginning of July, this year, a personal friend of Nathradas sends me a private message informing me of her new accounts. I have edited out the username and any incriminating details as per the user's request.
Another person who knows Nathradas in person messages me on Twitter to inform me that she is at EF, taking commissions, and is using her new username on FA as well as Weasyl and Tumblr.
I fire a note over to her on Weasyl, this note has still gone unread.
I tried messaging her on FA, this note has still gone unread.
The second comment I have left on her userpage- the first one was deleted within a week of it's posting and I neglected to screencap it as proof.

EXPLAIN:
I have been pursuing this transaction for just over three years with very, very little success. This artist has ignored correspondence, taken on commissions while still owing others work and/or refunds, and then has gone so far as to abandon her previous account and responsibilities to start anew with a new username.

At this point, I just want others to be very much aware of this person's business practices and to think twice about paying Nathradas for art because there's a huge possibility that they will never see their art or a refund.

[edit]I have been blocked from her page.

Comments

[thaily.livejournal.com]

Aw, sorry this happened to you, that sucks :(

[aerospiritual.livejournal.com]

yeahhhh... it's pretty frustrating, especially when I've tried to work with her and on her terms, and she really wants none of it.

[kalika-tybera.livejournal.com]

I'm so disappointed... I followed her art for a long time, she does beautiful work. It's utterly sad to see someone with talent -steal- from people and dodge responsibility like this.
All I can say is I hope somehow she owns up to her mistakes and refunds you, but if it's been this long then that's looking very unlikely.

[aerospiritual.livejournal.com]

yeah, especially when she's actively deleting my comments. I'm unable to garner any response via private message, e-mail, or the ilk and I'm pretty sure that at this point, she has absolutely no intention of refunding me or anyone else that she has stolen money from.

[naradogsblood.livejournal.com]

Disgusting behaviour! >:C

[aerospiritual.livejournal.com]

yeahhhh- I tried contacting her again and it would appear that I have been blocked from her page!

[starcharmer.livejournal.com]

That is some classy behavior right there.

[eli-daggertooth.livejournal.com]

They moved accounts and made a new character? Sounds like they are trying to make a new identity, as if it all never happened. they want a 'clean' slate, when in fact they are just running from it. That's terrible, I am sorry, 3 years is... too long...

[aerospiritual.livejournal.com]

that's pretty much the feeling I'm getting as well.

I don't ever really expect to see my money or the art, but the least I can do is be a squeaky wheel and inform people that doing business with this person comes with a lot of risks.

[eli-daggertooth.livejournal.com]

Yea, I think thats a good way to look at it too. I appreciate the warning a lot. Its better to be the one to stop it, than to stay quiet and let it happen to others.

[kazeno-taka.livejournal.com]

I will never understand artists who use the "I'm sorry, I just don't have the money to refund anyone" excuse. You were paid for a product. If you cannot produce that product, then the money does not belong to you. I really don't care what the situation is - you never have the right to take someone's money and not deliver the promised product. You don't get to just turn it into a donation because you've "lost your inspiration" and "have no energy".

I get it. I've had awful periods in life where I just can't pick up the paintbrush, but I would never tell a client to get lost and not offer their money back. Give them their art or their money back. It's that simple.

[latiro.livejournal.com]

This, so much.

[aerospiritual.livejournal.com]

I think this really sums it up perfectly.

I mean. I try to be empathetic and patient; I deal with several mood disorders of my own and I get it as well. but yeah, it's just. not a free pass to take someone's money and run. I don't get the logic and how it doesn't just make someone feel worse as time goes on- how does someone not feel guilty over it? I'm definitely with you in the not understanding boat.

[fastbreak333.livejournal.com]

Nathradas, draw what the customer paid for or refund him. You can keep running away as if nothing happened but eventually your debts will catch up to you. I know it's hard, but if you don't face them head on now, it's only going to get even harder.

(frozen)

[shark5060.livejournal.com]

Have you reported her to PayPal and/or FurAffinity? I don't think that they want some scammer on their page.

I am sorry this happened to you - and three years are a fckin long time.

(frozen)

[lackoflollies.livejournal.com]

FurAffinity won't do anything about it, that much I can assure you of. Paypal, on the other hand..

(frozen)

[aerospiritual.livejournal.com]

I don't know what Paypal would do about it; it's been three years.

(frozen)

[shark5060.livejournal.com]

If you, and the other's who got scammed, report him to PayPal they will block his account, bank account, credit card and whatnot. You will not get your money back (unless you have bought physical goods) but it helps future victims.

As for fur affinity - the act described (requesting money and not delivering anything) is a fraud. Which would be a felony. And if FA doesn't do ANYTHING against him, even with valid proof of multiple people, then they act as accomplices and would be prosecuted as well. I don't think that the (new) management of FA would like to have anything to do with that.

(frozen) mod comment

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

FA specifically states in their ToS (http://help.furaffinity.net/article/AA-00203/8/Terms-of-Service-TOS.html) that they are not liable for disputes between users. (5.2) Very rarely do they get involved with matters of A_B anymore since our contact on staff was let go.

With that said, this is getting too far off topic. You're welcome to continue discussing this with the OP in PM.

[torch-tiger.livejournal.com]

Wow, from 'I Quit the Internet' to 'Hi I'm new, can I take your money?', Beware well warranted.

Faith in humanity lowered once again.

[dimespin.livejournal.com]

Oh my goodness. I didn't even realize Sturmschwinge was Nathradas. I am so mad I was deceived, but glad to be aware now. I'm sorry this happened to you.

[aerospiritual.livejournal.com]

is there anyway we can have "Sturmschwinge" added to the tags? that's the name she posts under now.

mod comment

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

At this moment we can't. Livejournal has a limit on tag length, and no matter what combination we try her names get cut off. We've been discussing how we're going to be handling cases like this, as she isn't the only artist whose names don't fit on tags.

edit: It should also be noted that communities are allowed a maximum of 1,000 tags, so making a new one would eat up precious tag space.

Re: mod comment

[aerospiritual.livejournal.com]

ohhhh, fair enough! that's kinda silly on LJ's part; it's almost 2015, hahaha.

thanks for the info!

[mortymaxwell.livejournal.com]

So she's blocked you now? That was really unprofessional of her. >

[aerospiritual.livejournal.com]

yeah, fully.

I think it completely sends the message that she has no desire to be professional and rectify this situation- all I really can do now is just warn others of her conduct.

though I wonder if reporting her to EF staff and various vendors would be taking things too far? I just don't want other people to get the bite, but I really don't want to cross any boundaries either.

[lackoflollies.livejournal.com]

I'd say you're not going 'to far' at all! In fact, I encourage you to rip avenues of income out from under them until they learn to rectify old issues first,

[jane vakarian (from livejournal.com)]

Wow, this is just....kinda disgusting.
She blocked you. Shes stealing off people.

[likeshine.livejournal.com]

how do people like this not feel guilty? dang. i'm sorry this has happened!

[deejthistle.livejournal.com]

It sucks that you're still dealing with that mess :C

Thank you for the update though. Skipping accounts and changing names has been the MO of so many repeat offenders, so it's always nice to be alerted.

[jemindra.livejournal.com]

Still irks me that she refunded me some months ago... And still, not you. Probably because of the price difference but that shouldn't be an issue.

[aerospiritual.livejournal.com]

I have received a refund (http://glennoar.xepher.net/nathradas_artists_beware/refund.jpg) from a third party on behalf of the artist.

While I would like to consider this matter resolved, the rather rude message, and the artist's conduct throughout leaves a bad taste in my mouth and I feel that this beware still very much stands.

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

Oh gosh what even is that? Well, if you consider it resolved we can tag it as such.

[aerospiritual.livejournal.com]

Well, it's resolved in the sense that I have been refunded in full and no longer have any reason to continue pursuing this.

But the tone of the note and the manner in which the refund was sent is just off-putting- there was no need to send something so passive-agressive about the affair; I spent three years being an interest-free loan to someone I was incredibly patient and understanding with, a "I am refunding you on behalf of Nathradas, I am sorry you had to wait so long" would have sufficed.

There was really no need to treat me like I'm the bad guy because I just wanted my money back.

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

I don't think that note could be more passive-aggressive if it were upside-down.

[aerospiritual.livejournal.com]

Yeah, seriously.

What could have been a really peaceful resolution to this whole thing was pretty much marred by the unnecessary tone of the note.

[fallenone05.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry if I'm drudging up old stuff (or if this is an even an issue), especially since this is so late in the year, but someone literally just posted a link to the artist's furaffinity page, and that page was just created too.

http://tinyurl.com/nolrwn8
http://tinyurl.com/pfn9ajp

I'm a little worried they're trying to start drama.

[aerospiritual.livejournal.com]

your links aren't working- but I'm assuming it's someone linking this article on their FA page?

They could be trying to start drama or it's another one of her burned customers who doesn't want to be blocked for bringing up her business practices.

[fallenone05.livejournal.com]

oops! I didn't think anyone checked this post anymore so I deleted the dropbox files. Apologies. But yes! If I remember right, the account was created literally the day they posted the comment to Nathradas/Sturm's account that linked them to this article. My guess is a drama starter but who knows.