SPENCER WILLIAMSON AKA Jester SPENCER WILLIAMSON GRAPHIC DESIGNER SCAM FRAUD Toronto Ontario
SPENCER WILLIAMSON - FRAUD/SCAM DESIGNER (TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA)
I engaged Spencer Williamson to do some graphic design work for a new product I wanted to launch. The details of the project were very simple and straight forward. We both agreed at the time we started to work that the job can be completed in 10 business days. The completion date as per his invoice was set for April 15/2015.
First few days, I did not hear from Spencer, and this worried me as the work needed to be completed in the stated time frame. After making an attempt to contact him, he seemed to be responsive and did complete some rough sketch work (he said this is part of his process). Everything seemed okay, but as we got closer to the deadline he disappeared and was unreachable. He later did get in contact and apologized about the delay - there seem to be some part of him that actually wanted to complete the work... but this slowly changed.
Numerous deadlines to show work were set by him, he promised to email progress but each time he failed to show any work passed his initial sketches. The first few times he promised delivery and did not meet his own deadlines, I assumed he just had very poor time management, and suffered from a severe case of procrastination. As he continued this behavior I became very concerned that no work would be finished.
Once we got to a month passed the deadline he seemed to stop caring about the job, he made up excuse after excuse delaying the showing of any work. The only thing he forgot to do was make his Facebook profile private. We continually saw him relaxing and enjoying Toronto, while he was promising us the work to be completed (Screen shots have been taken of everything). I am sure he has done this to people in the past, and with this post - hopefully people will think twice before they do business with him.
Spencer Williamson is a Fraud, he is an individual who cannot be trusted. Once you pay him a deposit on your project you can expect that we will not complete the job.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Kevin
Markham,Canada
UPDATED
#3Author of original report
Mon, May 28, 2018
A few years later:
By complete chance, I came across very reliable information regarding SW.
1. SW actually did have cancer - this was confirmed and I am glad he has recovered. I was able to confirm this by chance when I ran into someone who was his client for a few years that I know well.
2. He is usually very reliable according to this client of his.
Our project did not end well (due to his personal circumstances at the time), but this fairly large client who I know well has stated he has completed many projects with a high degree of satisfaction.
Again this information came to me by chance and as it is from a very reliable source thus I have decided to update this post.
Spencer
Markham,Ontario,
Canada
Setting this straight
#3UPDATE Employee ..inside information
Sun, July 19, 2015
This is Spencer Williamson — the Graphic Designer in which this report was made about. I have been notified about this post through a fellow colleage, and am here to set the record straight.
I found a posting about a company that was in need of graphic design work to be done. I contacted them, and was pleased to receive a phone call from them very shortly after. This showed a good strong initial first impression. A short time later, they said that I was chosen to develop their branding for a novel line of their products, to develop a logo design, to develop flavour tags, and bottle label designs, as well as custom lettering/typography for the project, as I am a typography specialist. I clearly and in great detail developed the contract/invoice for the project: which clearly stated that the payment for the project would be split into 2 payments: first initial payment (50% of total payment) which would be a non refundable deposit to be paid upon them signing the contract, which in turn, would begin the project. This payment is non refundable because as a freelancer, I deal with all demographics of clientel, and in turn, have very quickly learned to follow the industry standards of business: that the initial payments are to be meant to be non refundable, so that I can cover the costs of my stages of design, the meetings with the client (direct/indirect meetings), process, material costs, test prints, etc. Also so that in the very very slight chance that the project didnt work out (theres always a chance of this in business/design, which I always minimize by acting to my fullest capability as an advanced designer and business person, and also care about all of my projects with a great deal of passion and devotion). Transparency in business is key to me.
The fatc of the matter is that I was working on many other shows, and clients, as any successful and mindful freelance designer does, and I honestly and clearly apologized for a very slight delay in the delivery of some of the sketches. But heres the thing: NEVER did I ever "stop caring about the job". My career is the love of my life, and I wouldn't do a thing to jeopardize it in any way possible.
A short time later, something very unfortunate happened to me in the following weeks: I was diagnosed with cancer. I notified my clients, including them of this, and that I would need some time to be out of work, but they told me they understood, and that I was still the designer for the job. I ensured them that I would do anything to get back up healthy and at it, and to continue designing for them. I am very fortunate that I caught signs of something that was wrong, and that I was forwarded to the best healthcare professionals. I have had surgery, and can proudly say that all tests possible show that I am clear of cancer now, and I will be monitioring myself from now on. I wasn't "enjoying Toronto" as the report states above: I was actually in one of the toughest parts of my entire life, and am very thankful that I am out of it now. In the middle of my recovery (where I was kept on as the designer), the inidividual who I had been hired by, had been fired, for reasons he didnt tell me. I felt bad for him, but soon was confused as he demanded me to send him the final designs to him so that he could send them to his superiors, and that I would not be paid the remaning balance for the project as it was "late", even though they had told me they previously told me they understood and felt bad for my situation. As a compromise, I told him to forward me to his superiors, so that i could contact them, so that we could meet, I could deliver the finals to them, and so that we could find a compromise in terms of final payment. I was trying to be fair. He has never forwarded them to me, and I havent heard from him since. I have tried to find contact info for the superior company, and havent been able to. I let the situation slide after its been a few weeks, and then just recently, I was notified about this post/report here. I feel blindsided and let down, after designing such a promising end result for the project, which I spent at least 40 extra hours overtime than originally quoted (as I wanted them to have the best possible product possible).
I am an optimist, and I am a go getter, and I am moving forward from this situation. As a young freelancer who knows he has a very strong future in his craft, I have learned one thing from this: that is, to be much MUCH more selective of my clients from here on out.
I thank you for your time to read this, and have a good day.