What would you do?

[Blue Rose]

Following on from the other thread about 'friends' that take advantage, I thought I would post this to see what you fellow geeks would do in similar circumstances.

Seems we've all been stung a few times and it's not very nice when it comes from somebody we thought of as a friend.

Anyway, my now ex-friend ended up conning me out of £1500 . She was supposed to do some work for me and was paid each week for it. Naivley (sp?) and because she was a 'friend' I trusted her that she was getting on with it.

I eventually terminated her employment because I wanted more money for myself instead of paying out her wages. That's when it came to light about the total and utter lack of work.

Now I know that some of you will say that you would never let yourself get in that situation but hey we all make mistakes sometimes.

So, if you were ripped off, what steps would you take to try and recover your money and how far would you push it? How easily would you give it up as a bad idea if she was being awkward? Would you get your teeth into it and not let her off the hook?

I know my answers but it would be interesting to see what others would do.

x

 

[Lynne Baker]

Small Claims Court.
I've had to go down that route a couple of times when so called friends ripped me off. They're no longer friends, but then had they been they wouldn't have ripped me off in the first place.

 

[Violet Star]

I agree with Calla! Small claims court i would go as far as it takes, im a bit of a stubborn person and belive even if you dont need that money its principle that she doesnt get it

what a nasty woman

Get your money back hun

 

[bubbabinks]

I have to say small claims, friend or no friend she was being paid to do a job which she didn't do.

 

[smartbookings]

Following on from the other thread about 'friends' that take advantage, I thought I would post this to see what you fellow geeks would do in similar circumstances.

Seems we've all been stung a few times and it's not very nice when it comes from somebody we thought of as a friend.

Anyway, my now ex-friend ended up conning me out of £1500 . She was supposed to do some work for me and was paid each week for it. Naivley (sp?) and because she was a 'friend' I trusted her that she was getting on with it.

I eventually terminated her employment because I wanted more money for myself instead of paying out her wages. That's when it came to light about the total and utter lack of work.

Now I know that some of you will say that you would never let yourself get in that situation but hey we all make mistakes sometimes.

So, if you were ripped off, what steps would you take to try and recover your money and how far would you push it? How easily would you give it up as a bad idea if she was being awkward? Would you get your teeth into it and not let her off the hook?

I know my answers but it would be interesting to see what others would do.

x

Doesn't seem like a friend to me, your shouldn't drop your bariers in business so easy imo, small claims all the way though, she would do it to you...

 

[Blue Rose]

And if she ingnored the courts?

 

[Lynne Baker]

She couldn't. If she didn't turn up to the hearing the judges take a very dim view of that and will practically always award in your favour. If she then ignores the judgement she will find herself with a County Court Judgement against her. She may not care, but it will bugger up her credit rating for an awfully long time afterwards.

 

[VHunter]

ditto ditto ditto..

A friend like that is NOT a friend at all.
Who needs friends like that????

Small claims!

 

[FlawlessBeauty]

I really feel for you. Seems like some people are always out for whatever they can get! you work hard for your money so you definitely want to get it back. You could try getting some advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau and if she won't pay up, small claims court.
GOOD LUCK hun! Keep us posted x

 

[angelina221]

I'd knock her out!
Seriously though small claims is a long winded affair so make sure it is going to be worth it. Some things are best put down to experience and as long as you learn from them.
I think we have all had someone treat us bad or rip us off and at least we learn from it.
Sure makes you appreciate your real friends x

 

[Zo Zo]

Will it be easy to prove? If not, I agree with Angelina, it might be best put down to experience.

Let us know what you decide :hug:

 

[Lynne Baker]

Having used the Small Claims Court service a couple of times now I can confirm that it is neither complicated nor long winded. Indeed the threat of it was sufficient to get one individual to pay up, and in the second case as soon as a date for the hearing was set they settled the full amount out of court.
You can do it all online these days too. Even if it's not a huge sum of money I would pursue it. She'll think twice before mucking people around in future.

 

[Teebster]

I would agree with the small claims court. My husband has had to use this with people in the past in business and usually the threat is enough. It only becomes complicated when you are talking large amounts that cannot be handled through a small claims court and then the people you are dealing with are more "professional" at their deciet.

Good luck you have nothing to loose as you neither want or need a so called friend like that xxx

 

[JANEY K]

I agree small claims court if it happened to me & i wouldn't call her a friend at all ,true friends wouldn't do that....what a nasty woman!!

 

[kesall]

Hi, i agree with the other Geeks, defo Small Claims in the long run as it's such a large amount of money. If you are still on speaking terms id ask her to give you a payment weekly & have a small book for you & her to sign as proof, but 9 times out of 10 you get a couple of payments then have to claim anyway!! When i were younger lol we had a family Bakery & my dad let quite a lt of people away with not paying like wholesale kind of things & when he met my Step-Mum she took no crap! Asked them politely then put their blimmin names up on the shop window!! Although i think that might be a tad illegal now! Anyway good luck! Im sure we've all bn in a similar situation & we all live & learn hon xx

 

[Blue Rose]

Thanks for all the replies so far.

This has been going on since last August, when I found out I'd been diddled.

I wrote to her initially asking for my money back, asked her in person, etc then she came out with some cock and bull story that the work was on her own computer. I politely asked her for the work to be forwarded to me. It never was.

Still nothing so as most of you would do, I issued a small claims. This was ignored so judgement went automatically in my favour. She ignored further letters from the courts and has now got a CCJ against her. She then ignored the letter demanding payment.

So, it's now a matter of enforcing the judgement ie send in the bailiffs (if she has enough goods of value) or some other way of getting my money back.

How many of you would still persue it or would you give it up as a bad idea by now?

 

[tog]

NO! definitely pursue it, you have got this far you must see it out.
Even if you don't get back the full amount, make sure those bailiffs pay her a visit, she must be made to see what happens if she thinks she can carry on like this. I hope she is s******g herself when those bailiffs knock on her door.

Does she think you are just going to kiss goodbye to £1500 just like that? that is a lot of money! She abused your trust too. Make her pay. And once you have seen things through to the end you will feel tons better and be able to put it behind you.

If you don't do this, how many other people will she try and treat like this? so you will be doing other people a favour too.

Sorry to rant and rave, but I imagine you work hard for a living so don't let someone, who obviously doesn't, take advantage of you.

Good luck x x

 

[blossom]

OMG £1500 is a lot of money! You can write off £50 or so to experience but £1500? I don't think so.

Good luck hun xx