Author: giorgos

I was hired by Faheem, the owner of Topline Chauffeur, a transportation service based in Dubai, to provide SEO services for their website. The agreement was that I’d be paid monthly, and that I should also cover the cost of content writers from my own pocket — with reimbursement to be included in the monthly invoice. I worked diligently for two full months, delivering comprehensive SEO support including on-page optimization, keyword strategy, content planning, and coordination with writers. Throughout this time, Faheem expressed satisfaction with the progress and raised no concerns about the quality of work. After the first month, I sent an invoice as agreed. Faheem acknowledged it and assured me it would be paid, but no payment was made. Despite this, he requested that I continue working into the second month, with the promise that everything would be cleared together. At the end of the second month, I submitted a detailed invoice covering both months of SEO services and content writer fees. Suddenly, Faheem claimed the invoice was “too big” and said they would only pay in small monthly installments. I requested at least the reimbursement for content so I could pay the writers — he promised a partial payment the next day. That payment never came. When I followed up, he kept delaying. On the third day, I discovered that my access to the website had been removed without any notice. When I messaged him to ask what was going on, he shockingly accused me of being a scammer, despite having used and benefited from my services for two full months. He then blocked me on WhatsApp and left our work chat group. When I tried to contact him using another number, I was blocked again. This is a clear case of exploitation and non-payment. I’m sharing this experience to warn fellow freelancers, SEO professionals, and agencies to be extremely cautious when dealing with Topline Chauffeur and Faheem. They received full services, avoided payment, and cut off all communication in an unprofessional and unethical manner. Freelancers: Protect yourselves. Always secure upfront payments or written contracts. Do not rely on verbal agreements — especially when dealing with this business.