Aroma Express
Reviews and Complaints

I was a freelancer on Guru.com and was hired by Serge Butman to re-write the text on his website for a coffee catering service, www.aromaexpress.ca. After he was pleased with the work, I forgot to use Guru's Escrow system and instead invoiced him . He never paid. I called and emailed numerous times and what really ticked me off- the real reason I'm posting online- were the lies. Twice he emailed saying said he would take care of it asap and, the last time I heard from him, he wrote saying that it was paid and would get the proof from his bookkeeper. No proof, payment, or further contact came, even after I warned him that I would turn to the Internet and that he's messing with the wrong guy. (I also warned him that I would make a scene by showing up at his business or at one of his events, but it's been hard locating him.)

By using Guru's invoicing they were unable to help. Though they did write me that Serge "is on thin ice" so clearly this action with me was not an exception. If you're a freelancer anywhere, make sure to use a fool-proof, escrow-type of payment system or just think twice. Same for anyone else. If he cheated me over a small invoice, what does it say about his general integrity? On Guru, Serge Butman was also listed as Zalman Group (aka Group Zalman).