How to behave in a situation where a client wants to write a statement to the police?

Question

Freelance

Good afternoon. I am self-employed. I make simple sites on wordpress. Since the beginning of March, one guy really wanted me to help him make a website. I agreed. Worked without a contract. First we talked on WhatsApp, then I asked him to switch to Telegram for convenience. We did not discuss the final price of the site in advance, which is a mistake both on my part and on the part of the client. But the client in the dialogues of the messenger estimated that we would make the site for 60,000 rubles, approximately.

In March, the client transferred 17,000 rubles for the development of the site. I fulfilled all his wishes, altered the site several times, changed it. I searched for photos, edited them. I bought him domains, helped him a little with hosting. I arranged hosting and domains for him, asked him for data in advance in order to buy and arrange everything only for him (telephone, mail, passport data). Throughout the entire time of our work with him (02/29/2021 to 05/25/2021), I made a website according to all his wishes, helped with advice on how best to proceed based on personal experience, helped to find a designer and SEO specialist. Around May 12, I wrote to the client. that for the work done he needs to pay another 15,200 rubles. After that, the client said that he would pay on May 25 and began writing corrections that needed to be made on the site.

I continued to work, corrected his remarks. Today (05/25/21) I completed his last remarks. I asked about money, but the client says that there is no money and I ask a lot for the work. After a little discussion with him, he began to accuse me of the fact that his site does not sell services. I wrote that he could look for a new specialist and said goodbye. The client began to put pressure on pity, I blocked him. An hour later, the client began to write from other numbers and threaten that he would file a complaint with the police. Write that I will return 17,000 rubles to him, which I received in March, and I will also pay him for the domain. In total, he counted 22,000 rubles for me to transfer to him. I threw off all accesses to the chat in advance and he can easily go to the hosting / site / database. All domains are registered to him. After refusing to work with him, I did not delete the site and did nothing, I just blocked him in the messenger and decided to forget. But the client began to write to all instant messengers and threaten with a statement to the police.

For me, this is the first time. Of course I'm nervous, but I don't know what to do. Just keep ignoring it or I have to do something. I saved all our correspondence, made a screen of his passport data. Please let me know if you have been in a similar situation and what should I do?

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Small update on 5/27/21

Many thanks to everyone who answered and commented on this issue. You helped me a lot, because I was very confused.
Calls and messages continued to come from the "client". New phone numbers, new social media accounts. I ignored. On May 27, 21, an unknown person wrote to WhatsApp. He greeted me and wrote the following, a quote: "Get in touch, I'm an operative of the criminal investigation department. I won't clarify a couple of questions and bother you anymore." I went and wrote a statement to the police, handed over all the phones, screenshots of messages. I will wait for a solution.

Also today (05/27/21) the site of the "client" stopped working. I didn’t do anything myself, I think the client removed everything or asked someone. I saved the latest version of the site to my PC.

Answer 1

Kidalovo clean water. But they blocked it for nothing. Unblock and report that he did not pay you 43,000 rubles extra. And you are suing him. On the basis of a shift agreement on work. In addition, record a telephone conversation on a voice recorder, apparently there will be a conversation in raised tones, after that write a statement to the council about extortion. They love it.

Answer 2

Laugh! Tell the client that he can write a statement to the police or even a complaint to the Pope - this is his right. Let him go - make the police laugh and embarrass himself a little.
The police don't do things like that. Unjust enrichment - something that a client can sue you for - is a civil matter, not a criminal one. And he has no chance. There, the cost of legal services is only from 400t.r. starts. Over 22, no one will even lift a finger.

Answer 3

it’s not very clear how he wants to write a statement to the police when there is no corpus delicti
, in general, you can laugh at him

Answer 4

Answer that if he does not fall behind, then you yourself will write a statement against him for extorting 22,000 rubles.

Answer 5

During my time as a freelancer, I realized a few truths:

• Work that is hard to measure should be paid by the hour
  
• Always take prepayment from new customers
  
• Work with contracts
  
• Immediately merge clients who start to delay with payment and ask for another package of edits.
  

There was a similar client a couple of years ago, his name was Seryoga, isn't it yours by any chance?