I put an add on Craigslist for a web designer for a small business I am starting up. Jay Sternberg contacted me and he said he could create a website for $500. He contacted me several times and said he is available every single day until 10pm. He preferred that I deposit the money in cash into his TD Bank account. I told him I had no issues doing so but we had to have an agreement in place so that both parties would be protected. I sent him design examples of what I wanted; it would be something very simple. He agreed to it. He contacted me several times to get the project started. I deposited half the amount and sent the agreement. I did not hear from him for 3 days. I contacted him several times and no response. I finally received an email written in third person, of course which he wrote. I called again and he picked up and this time he was very abrupt. He then states he was not happy with the agreement. I asked him to point out what he was unhappy with so I could to amend it. Instead he says he is forwarding my information to his lawyer and I would not get my deposit back because he said I was doing something "shady". I told him to proceed in engaging a lawyer, I have all my documents down to my dealings with the US customs so I have nothing to fear and hide. I told him I wanted my deposit back and I no longer want to work with him. He responded with a very nasty email saying he was not going to return my deposit. He then stated lying that I made the deposit on 11/27, when the TD Bank slip which I have and took a picture of and sent to him is clearly printed 11/29/2013. I showed this proof to him and he could not say anything. He then created another lie where he said when you made the payment the project was a go. I pulled out my emails showing I had explicitly stated the project could not be started and I would not agree to it being started without the agreement signed. I asked him to provide the name of his lawyer as I am filing a lawsuit against him. He cannot provide this information. He has since run off with my money. He is a fraud and a scam artist.