stifflo.com
Stifflo
Clear definitions of payment abuse—and a public record of companies that hired work, received it, and refused to pay.
Fraud & nonpayment definitions
Six plain-language patterns. Company pages stay factual; these terms give shared vocabulary.
01
Nonpayment after delivery
Work or goods are delivered as agreed, then the buyer refuses or ignores the invoice.
The classic stiff: a client accepts completed work, then stalls, ghosts, or invents last-minute disputes to avoid paying a valid invoice. Nonpayment alone is usually a civil matter; patterns and intent can change how it is described.
02
Bait-and-switch scope
The buyer agrees to one scope or price, then demands more work while keeping the original (or lower) pay.
A party uses an initial agreement to get work started, then expands requirements, rewrites terms, or claims misunderstanding—while refusing to pay for what was already delivered under the original deal.
03
Bust-out / shell client
A company racks up obligations, then disappears, dissolves, or leaves no collectible assets.
Operators open or use a business entity to obtain services on credit, delay payment with excuses, then shut down, rename, or move activity elsewhere so creditors have little left to pursue.
04
Friendly fraud (chargeback abuse)
Payment is reversed or disputed after the seller has already delivered.
Common with cards and some platforms: the buyer receives the work, then files a dispute or chargeback claiming non-delivery or dissatisfaction that does not match the record. The seller loses both the fee and the time.
05
Advance-fee / deposit trap
Someone demands upfront money for a job, contract, or recovery that never materializes.
The mark pays a deposit, bonding fee, or “processing” cost. Delivery never happens, or further fees are invented. Distinct from ordinary retainers when there was never a real intent to perform.
06
Breach of contract vs fraud
Not every unpaid invoice is criminal fraud—and labeling it that way without facts creates risk.
Breach of contract is failing to perform a deal. Fraud generally requires intentional deception for gain. Stifflo documents nonpayment with dates and evidence. We use precise language on company pages and keep broader definitions here for context.
Listed companies
Each entry is a single case page: who hired whom, what was delivered, and that payment was refused.