Title: WordPress theme ripoff Last modified: August 19, 2016 --- # WordPress theme ripoff * [outthere](https://wordpress.org/support/users/outthere/) * (@outthere) * [17 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-theme-ripoff/) * As some/many of us do, I downloaded WordPress a couple of weeks ago. I then proceeded to download a zillion plugins. (Have since dumped 90 percent, They slow things down and wanted to stop tapping my fingers waiting.) I also downloaded around 50 themes. I finally settled on one that seemed to know how to play well enough with widgets. It had these foreign links in the footer. So I open the footer.. and it’s encrypted. Fine. I write the author and compliment her and ask her her what she wanted to get rid of them for me. This is her reply: Hi John, How are you? The cost to remove footer links is $20 to paypal [opheli_a@yahoo.com](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-theme-ripoff/opheli_a@yahoo.com?output_format=md) thanks * On Thu, Jun 26, 2008 at 7:45 PM, John wrote: * Hi, just downloaded your “Syndey” blog temp. Was wondering if we/you could remove the bottom links other than your own and just make it a standard footer so I can have my own links. They lead to some German sites which I have no clue what they are about. I’ll be happy to pay something if you take PayPal. thanks, john Well, She got her paltry 20 bucks and dropped off the face of the earth. I have been reluctant to say anything about this on this forum given my natural proclivity to giving the benefit of the doubt to others. Hell maybe her 20 year old dog died and she’s in black, mourning for a month. I am aware that people make different degrees of a living off WordPress, Great! Be f——- honest. Theme Designers should make copies of their Themes, with adds, and without them. They can give away the add included themes, Charge whatever they like for the add free. Let US decide. Is it really that complicated? do honest business and your reputation brings you work. Op—–, and other fools and liars, get straight. (If your dog did die, then my sincere apology and here’s another 20 for a shovel.) It’s foreign to me to run across users. Most people just want, “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. Is WordPress just susceptible? Yes it is free. That doesn’t mean you can’t step on the bugs that abusively feed off of it. I also, downloaded a great widget/application, hasn’t resolved so no details. I upgraded after I went to the authors site. The API didn’t work. The damn contact box didn’t work. What is it guys? Your obviously intelligent enough. Check your bloody site! Fix it. I don’t know about you, but I love smart people who offer their stuff up free. And I’m very happy to pay a nominal fee for the use of it. For the abusers, I have a half dozen sites. Maybe I should consider using one to list thieves and dishonest coders. Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total) * [Eric Amundson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sewmyheadon/) * (@sewmyheadon) * [17 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-theme-ripoff/#post-806018) * Were you not able to remove the links? If you need help, I’m sure we can point you in the right direction. * I understand your frustration and think your idea of offering a free, ads-included theme and a pay version w/o ads isn’t a bad idea. 🙂 * Thread Starter [outthere](https://wordpress.org/support/users/outthere/) * (@outthere) * [17 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-theme-ripoff/#post-806054) * I tried posting the footer code. It wasn’t for some reason allowed so here is a link where you can take a look at it. I’ve trashed it and found another Theme so it’s a mute point. [Footer](http://www.northkohala.net/footer.php) * [Eric Amundson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sewmyheadon/) * (@sewmyheadon) * [17 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-theme-ripoff/#post-806163) * Well, glad you got it sorted. * That’s obviously an encoded footer and I freaking hate them. I understand why folks do it, but I’m a fan of the Open in Open Source and that’s, in my opinion, crap. * If you wanted to replace it in the theme, you could replace the footer file, I’m sure, but it sounds like you’ve moved on. * Thread Starter [outthere](https://wordpress.org/support/users/outthere/) * (@outthere) * [17 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-theme-ripoff/#post-806268) * Hey thanks for your input, I figured it was a lost cause. No big deal. Hey have you found a seamstress for your head? That seems like it could be a real disadvantage at times. Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total) The topic ‘WordPress theme ripoff’ is closed to new replies. * 4 replies * 2 participants * Last reply from: [outthere](https://wordpress.org/support/users/outthere/) * Last activity: [17 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-theme-ripoff/#post-806268) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics