Need some help with geek justice

**jgibson2**[$] · #1 09-25-2007, 10:48 PM

I posted the beginning of this story in the Business Beat forum, but I don't think the folks I need will see it there.

My son has worked for a company that does warranty calls for desktop and laptop computers. I'm not going to mention the manufacturer, because they're not responsible for this mess. His employer has hired multiple technicians to perform warranty service. He collects from the scheduling operation that subs from the manufacturer. He's supposed to pay the techs. My son got his money (late, mostly) until late August - except for reimbursement for gas, parking, and tolls. He's never seen that. He hasn't been paid in September at all. Boss claimed problems with getting the bank to transfer funds. Rob asked him which bank he'd prefer and opened an account there too -- still no money.

There may not be any money. I googled and found this article - skip the article, read the comment by a man named Mike - also a former tech for the company.

I googled the 3 addresses we have on company letterhead and found the companies currently renting the spaces. I spoke with people at 2 of them. Company hasn't been in the spaces since before last October. Rob was hired in January. I need to try again with the third one. I got voicemail and I really want to talk to a live person -- voice on voicemail is NOT the same as the man who was running Networx and who calls himself Scott Strother.

I googled the name Scott Strother in NC and came up with 2 phone numbers (neither of them we had). We called them and they're not likely to be the right one. We spoke with someone who wasn't him at one. We need to call the second back, because we got voicemail (female voice) there. No return call yet.

Rob had received an email which was cc'd to 2 other techs, so we emailed them and got one return phone call. Scott Strother owes that man about $1200. He's better off than most former Networx employees.

So what kind of help do I need?

There is a web site for Networx Business IT Solutions. This is the link Scott Strother sent Rob when he hired him. The phone numbers worked when he was hired. The 866 number no longer does. The number on the letterhead we received that says "phone" now gives FAX tones when you call it. The one labeled FAX rings to voicemail. We haven't gotten any responses there. 919.341.3583 I 919.632.6330 cell I 919.341.3584 (fax) --- the cell number has been changed, but is still a 919 area code.

I know there is a way to find out who hosts the site and maybe even who owns it -- and if I get really lucky, where the bills are paid from. Does anyone know how to go about that?

magenta321 · #2 09-25-2007, 11:10 PM

Registrant:
Networx

2504 Leas Mill Ct.
Raleigh, North Carolina 27606
United States

Registered through: GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com)
Domain Name: NETWORXINC.NET
Created on: 05-Apr-04
Expires on: 05-Apr-08
Last Updated on: 10-Apr-06

Administrative Contact:
Strother, Scott sstrother@nc.rr.com
Networx
2504 Leas Mill Ct.
Raleigh, North Carolina 27606
United States
9196326330

Technical Contact:
Strother, Scott sstrother@nc.rr.com
Networx
2504 Leas Mill Ct.
Raleigh, North Carolina 27606
United States
9196326330

**mjfrombuffalo**[$] · #3 09-25-2007, 11:32 PM

Wow, that was fast!!!

**jgibson2**[$] · #4 09-25-2007, 11:45 PM

Thanks Margaret!

The mailing address isn't his any more. Neither is the phone number, but I didn't have that email address. It may be valid. He'll probably ignore it, but worth trying anyway.

magenta321 · #5 09-26-2007, 12:01 AM

No problem! I used the "whois" tool here DNS tools, reports and Hosting tests, advanced network and domain name tools., which lead me to the godaddy site. Try it for yourself, because there was a link on the bottom of the page that said something about reporting it if it had bogus information, which, obviously, it does.

**jgibson2**[$] · #6 09-26-2007, 12:51 AM

I missed that -- thanks! Web site reported.

Rob's plan is to go visit the IRS tomorrow to find out if the taxes which were deducted from his paychecks were forwarded to them. We went through all the emails he received from anyone at the company and found the email addresses of 2 more techs. Rob sent them our phone number and got a call back within hours. Still waiting on the second but it's company email and he's probably not checking it.

Rob's next idea is to write a blog about the company and the man to try to warn techs about him. We googled the company and the man before he took the job, but there wasn't anything negative until September -- after he'd already missed one paycheck. He was probably lucky to get as much out of Scott as he did before things tanked.

On the positive side, he has an interview in the morning with a company he REALLY would like to work for. A major multi-national tech company, so no problem with paychecks. They offered him a job just before he took this last one at Networx, but it would have meant working every weekend and he wasn't ready to do that. He already told their HR people he'll work any hours and any days they want. He means it. He might get tired of it, but it's better than not getting paid.

**theworm**[$] · #7 09-26-2007, 04:08 AM

Margaret! I'm impressed! I think of you for shopping - not geeking! You go girl!

Judy - I hope it helps you find him!

**jgibson2**[$] · #8 09-26-2007, 04:10 AM

GoDaddy responds nearly as quickly as Margaret. It was a request for more information, but I hadn't expected anything tonight, so I'm delighted.

I sent them the link to the Washington City Paper article and a link to Tuesday's court schedule where the Strothers were charged with MANY counts of failing to pay income tax. Rob will be so happy when I tell him (not). I printed all that out for him to take with him to the IRS.

My nephew came through with more info about multiple bankruptcies and other businesses. The man needs to be in jail and he's pissed off multiple techs who are, as far as I can determine, going after him individually. My goal is to unite them as much as possible with an eye to getting ANY money the SOB still has coming to him from the computer warranty business. That and putting his sorry butt in jail.

Rob has a few more consults to make and then we'll be going full-bore with the publicity.

**theworm**[$] · #9 09-26-2007, 04:13 AM

Judy, that's great!

I don't know if it will get Rob his money any faster, but it may help him from screwing over anyone else and get the IRS on his butt. This probably won't have a quick resolution, but I hope they lock this cheat up. And I do hope that with this info, an attny might be able to get Rob his money sooner than later!

**mjfrombuffalo**[$] · #10 09-26-2007, 08:08 AM

Oh I forgot about payroll taxes! Hubby reported his boss to the IRS too, when he wasn't getting paid, and they put a lien on her too. Didn't help Hubby get paid but between the IRS and the Labor Dept., she was pretty much screwed and possibly facing jail time if she returns to the US.

magenta321 · #11 09-26-2007, 08:19 AM

If you make a website about this man and his deceptive practices, are you possibly facing slander charges?

I understand why you want to. I would want to too. But I just think you need to find out where the line is between giving people information, and slander so your butt is covered.

**jgibson2**[$] · #12 09-26-2007, 07:24 PM

If we make a web site, it will be facts only.

I can state that Rob hasn't been paid for over 100 hours of work and that he is owed over $1000 in reimbursement.

I can further state that the phone numbers and addresses in his business email and web site are no longer his. (I'd avoid saying that they were never his, because I don't know that).

I can state that he has already declared bankruptcy 3 times - public record.

I can also link to the Washington City Paper site with the notation that I haven't contacted Mike Smith and cannot verify his story, but it is similar to my son's experience.

I can invite other techs who have been stiffed to contact us with the intention of sharing information and helping the authorities with any legal action they care to take.

I don't think I can get in trouble for any of that.

The only adequate defense against slander is that you're telling the truth and I can prove every word of the above. Besides, with this man's past, I don't think he could get a lawyer to take the case.

**jgibson2**[$] · #13 10-03-2007, 05:20 AM

I found another tech who wasn't paid for work done for Networx/Scott Strother. He's plenty ticked too.

I also learned that Mr. Strother also goes by the name of Wesley Scott Strother and Wesley S. Strother and that he used to run an operation called Abacus IT Solutions, Inc which dissolved (reasons unknown) in 2005. Makes me wonder if that operation owed money to employees as well.

Then there was a company called Strocor Siding owned by - none other than Wesley Scott Strother. That one dissolved in 2006

Man's got a history. It's not looking good for the money, but maybe he can be prevented from starting any more similar businesses.