Every business owner, even freelance writers, occasionally comes into contact with a customer whose rage and unethical behavior let you know that the term “the customer is always right” is sometimes wrong.

Last week, Richard received a very rude email from a customer who wanted to know why he was never given the download information for his ebook. On researching the transaction, we let him know that he ordered a print book, not an ebook.

He again emailed us demanding we send him the ebook. He then launched into a extensive threat, saying he would report us to a number of government agencies (he named them all) as well as to everyone online if we didn’t send him a copy of the ebook.

Our response was to remind him that he didn’t pay for an ebook…and that an ebook doesn’t even exist of that title. It’s only available in print. It’s kind of funny when you think about it. He threatened to report us for not giving him a free copy of something he hadn’t even paid for AND for not giving him a free copy of something that doesn’t even exist. We also let him know that filing false reports with government agencies is a crime.

Thought you’d all get a kick out of that one today.