Custom Trouble: ProffessorFluffyBuns

Posted 5 years, 2 months ago by Strex

Not exactly a scam per se, but I thought I would document it in case this ends up being something recurring, especially because it really irked me.

I approached ProffessorFluffyBuns ( DeviantART ) on December 23rd asking about customs, because I really liked their FNaF designs. I've had a small handful of characters I've been putting together since high school, but I've never been great at designing and wanted to get them from Fluffy because I thought their designs were really well done. Their reply was pretty nice, overall, and on the 25th they said they didn't have customs open at the time but would let me know when they were open because they needed to get a new laptop.

On the 31st, they let me know they'd gotten their laptop and could do customs then. My own drawing tablet had broken by then, and I would be unable to pay in cash or trade art, but that I'd be able to trade them designs instead, and we agreed on 2 of them for 2 customs. They say it will be awhile as they have a big list, I'm fine with that, everything's fine. I give them detailed information about 4 OCs (a panda, a capricorn, a wolf, and a squirrel) and let them choose which ones they'd like to do for convenience.

On January 20th, nearly a full month after this (important later) they post the panda design and I compliment it, it's adorable, I love it. I don't mind how long it's taken. During this time I've officially gone on hiatus on DeviantART, which means I'm not very active but I still check my notifications when I have time. A couple days later, they post the wolf design and again, I love it. I express this.

Almost immediately after this, they send me a message over DeviantART, letting me know that they've decided they don't want one of the characters we agreed I'd be trading them anymore. I'm surprised, as they already finished their part, but let them look through my trade designs again. I let them know I still don't have cash or art and can't really do much for them other than a premade design. They link me to another design while I'm away, and I don't get time to check until the next day, where they've already changed their mind and don't want that one either.

I'll admit, I put them on hold for awhile because I would be coming into some cash on February 1st and figured I could just give them a little money then instead, because they seemed to decide they wanted something else whenever I asked. Not even 2 days pass by, mind you 'hiatus' is plastered all over my page, and they come to me asking in 3 separate messages (within the span of 10 minutes, while I'm out of the house) if I'm ignoring them. 

I wasn't the nicest about it, especially because they immediately made it clear they wanted to keep the designs because I was apparently ignoring them and they didn't want the payment we'd agreed upon. I would be fine with that under normal circumstances, but considering these are redesigns for characters I've had for a long time and they're not changing the names, specific accessories, backstory or personality, I feel like these characters have been personally stolen from me as I no longer have anything but concept art and my original ideas that they now have taken and applied to actual designs.

I'd also like to note that during our conversation they used many excuses such as having a family of 4 to feed, family problems in general, having 200+ pieces of art to do, and also being autistic. Mind you, this conversation wasn't very long at all, and they blocked me immediately after I outright said I was only going to pay them in character designs, as agreed on, and would not shell out cash, as we did not agree on.

Let me know if I'm in the wrong here, but I honestly just find this shady and a little messed up.

ToyHouse PMs | DeviantART Notes

Nyria

I am sorry, I totally didn't think of that, and they took it down >.<

Strex

Nyria

Can you let me know if they do again? Screenshots would be good. ^^' And maybe keep an eye on their TH account too?

Nyria

cosmiplier

Sure thing, I will keep an eye out. And take screenshots. :)

Sleepy-Thunder

I reported both characters here on TH. This behaviour is completely unacceptable and I'm so mad on your behalf. -_-

Strex

SleepingThunder

Thank you, I already did that myself but having someone else do it as well backs up the claim.

Strex

Bard

Yes, I took up a ticket with ToyHouse and had them removed, and it's nice of them to remove them from dA as well. ^^