Paul:
It is normal for websites to need some form of CAPTCHA system or similar techniques for preventing spambots from automatically using data submission forms to send spam to sites or post spam onto websites.
I am not available for hire through the Forum, so I'm not available to work on this project, but I'm actually one of the top high-security CAPTCHA system developers on Upwork. I have been hired by other Upwork clients in the past to do exactly what you need. So I know that it is possible to do this, and I know that it is possible to hire people through Upwork to do this.
It is possble to install existing CAPTCHA systems. Some of these are good. Some of these are mostly useless. It is also possible to work with a high-end, high-security developer such as myself to create a custom system which nobody else has source code for and which can not be hacked or bypassed by any spambot.
The key point here is that the work you need done doesn't have anything to do with the original developer who created your website. The work you need done is out of scope of the original project specifications. Certainly the original developer does not owe you anything at this point, nor does Upwork.
You absolutely do not need that original developer in order to fix your problems. This is a new project that you will hire somebody to do, to be performed on your current website.
