How To Get Someone Back Who's F*cked You About With Money?
Before I left the UK, I sold my 40" LCD telle to a "mate", but agreed to let him pay me in installments.
I took the risk, as I thought he was a decent guy etc, and not a penny till now. Got in touch with him, initially loads of (really really lame far fetched)excuses, and now its more or less a case of him saying "well its your fault for trusting me" . Not looking for sympathy etc as I took the risk and knew the consequences
At the end of the day, the money is not a life changing amount (around 500 squid), but its p*ssed me off no end, I would never do it to a mate myself, so any suggestions on what I can do get him back without crossing the line?
Not too bothered about getting my money back as I doubt I will, but want to know how I can cause this so called mate maximum inconvenience, or exbarrassment or anything. WOuld love to see him blacklisted for credit
This guy is a police officer, so maybe complaining to the police or something about one of their officers not honouring debts, or something?? All complaints have to be investigated
Its not worth taking the years off your life. I have been taken to the cleaners for more than a Hundred Thousand by someone I thought of as a brother. Its not the money that matters its the loss of friendship that hurts.. Besides, 'you reap what you sow'. Let it go
Small claims court, he will end up with a County Court Judgement against him, blacklists him with the credit rating companies. Cost you about £50, though and you really need to be in the UK to do it.
Thermonuclear warheads are readily available in some former Soviet states... Nothing vents rage like Plutonium my friend!
If that's out of your budget, report it stolen & put a claim in to your insurers. And then let tha natural course of Justice expose Mr Plod to his superiors...
I believe you can process a small claims court action on the internet now. Some potential problems. He (the copper) could say you gave it to him, or he paid you cash already. Importantly he is a copper and will use this in his defence/arguement. The threat of it might work though.
Hahah it's funny, the only person I've been ripped off by was a copper too! This was for about £500 also.
Although this was about 3 years ago, it was sorted out by threatening some sort of action against him, apparently as a rozzer having a judgment made against you is a bad thing. I think I threatened with small claims court, however the police card was used to try and intimidate me.... sadly I'm nice and law abiding so it didn't bother me.
If you have any written evidence such as emails then you can use these as evidence for a Small Claims case, and file it online. If you haven't got any, try and get some! I have used instant messaging as evidence in the past.
If he claims to have paid he would need evidence, such as a receipt.
When you initially file a Small Claims case you won't be asked to provide evidence straight away, you will file your claim and the defendant then responds. If it goes to the next stage you then get to provide your evidence and serve it to them and the court. If the matter looks obviously in your favour due to the evidence provided you can apply for the overseeing Judge to issue a Summary Judgement- basically ruling on it without having to go to court, which is obviously the best outcome for you as they are then given a CCJ and ordered to pay your costs and outstanding money owed.
It may still take some time to get your money, and you may have to pay upto £200 in costs, but maximum inconvenience caused!
Take a marker pen and write his name and mobile number on various public lavatory walls with suitable 'invitations'.
Have his number printed on some business cards (the type prostitutes leave in telephone boxes), leave them around, and post some to his police station. Remember, if he answers his mobile for a call from abroad, this will cost him money. Make sure the cards have his actual first name or (female version of) and include services such as 'female TV correction', etc. Even his mates will find this amusing, especially if you are able to home produce them with a suitably photoshopped picture (Lady's body + his head).
Call the station and ask to speak to him or leave a message, making it quite clear that he owes you money. Word soon gets around.
Mention to him that you are back in the UK next month and would like to meet him, ask if you could you call at his place of work to meet up for a drink afterwards.
Make it quite clear, if possible, what he has done, to those he works with, he probably has a track record of this kind of thing and his mate should know.
Try the small claims court route.
As I say sometimes:
If a brick through the window doesn't work, try writing a letter of compliant.
Top tip #2: https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/csmco2/index.jsp If somebody knows they're in the wrong the initiation of proceedings is often the wake up call they need an leads to a rapid settlement. If this chap is a policeman and has any sense he'll do everything he can to avoid a judgement against him (or he'll dig himself in deeper and risk his job).
If you don't want to go legal, next time you go round to his house simply 'repossess' the TV and take it home with you. Alternatively smash the thing and tell him to enjoy his new TV - satisfying but destructive.
Some years ago a young lady drove into one of my business vehicles. My driver and she exchanged addresses, etc. To cut a long story short her father was a detective. He claimed she had gone abroad and didn't know where she was. I wrote to his chief constable and asked if this was the sort of behaviour to be expected from a high ranking public servant under his jurisdiction.
Funny old thing but details of the young lady's insurance company arrived shortly thereafter.
I have had a similar problem with my so called best friend (her words not mine) it's no where near the same amount as what your 'friend' owes you, but i'm still pissed off. My friend and I had a short break in Palma last year and I paid for the holiday on my credit card, but I had put enough away to pay my half as soon as the bill came through. After getting back from the holiday my friend gave me half of what she owed me, and said that she would give me the rest when she could. I was expecting the 'when she could' bit to be within a month (which I thought was reasonable), and it's now 8 months after the holiday and she still hasn't paid me back what she owes me.
When I e-mailed her to ask for the money that she owed me she didnt reply to me. Three weeks later I sent her a second e-mail asking her what was wrong and she said that she was upset with me for asking for the money and that I shouldn't have to ask her for it , and that she would send it. She sent me £50, which is half of what she still owes me.
What pisses me off is that she can go and do other things which cost £100's, for example, a course to help her pass the police selection test (notice a theme here?!) but she 'can't afford' to pay me back.
I know that it's only a small amount of money, some people may say that I should forget it as it's only a small amount, but it's just the principle, as if you borrow money you should pay it back.
stercus-accidit's advice may be deeply cathartic but could well lead to a real summons for defamation of character etc.
You could contact the National TV Licences Office to find out if his TV is licensed? Their system is probably such that they would have to ask him any way :0
PS, there was some advice we were given years ago. Do you know his bank? Better do you or did you bank at the same branch? Write to his bank manager:
Dear Sir, Mr X bought a television set from me for £500 and promised to send me the money. I have not received this yet and it may be because I am now overseas and the transaction has gone astray or perhaps he has lost my address in the same way as I have lost his.
Can you possibly let me have his current address? [If he does, Job Done]
If you cannot do that can you please forward this letter to him? [Job Done].
and
Dear Chief Constable, PC X, a friend of mine bought a television set from me for £500 and promised to send me the money. I have not received this yet and it may be because I am now overseas and the transaction has gone astray or perhaps he has lost my address in the same way as I have lost his.
Can you possibly let me have his current address? [If he does, Job Done]
If you cannot do that can you please forward this letter to him? [Job Done].
Get busy on your PC or get a stamp made up to mark some envelopes "URGENT - FINAL DEMAND" in red bold letters, then address these to your 'friend' at the cop-shop where he works and pop-em in the post. (Post a few in bulk to a family member/friend in the UK to put a stamp on and make them look legit').
You can add things to the front of the envelopes like
£500 - FINAL PAYMENT DUE
TV PAYMENT - £500 OUTSTANDING
IMMEDIATE ATTENTION REQUIRED - PAYMENT DUE
I'm sure when his Inspector calls him in for a 'quiet chat' to enquire as to why these things keep appearing in the station mail he'll come to his senses. (His colleagues will make his life hell also, if nothing else!)
This is a bit dodgy, but........ If you have any paperwork left, you could claim it as stolen - you can prove it was your purchase, but is now no longer.
Call your insurance people
You have your suspicions as to who took it/where it is now
They say you need a police claim number
Call your ex-mate or (even better) his cop-shop and ask for him to sort it out..............
The dodgy bits..... You may need to: fake a break-in fake a claim
Actually unclenelli the TV has been stolen. By virtue of the fact the plod 'friend' has not come up with the money then the TV is stolen. I would let the 'friend's' cop shop know there is stolen property on his premises in the form of your TV. Would be good if you could describe it and had proof of purchase Garfs.
so any suggestions on what I can do get him back without crossing the line?
, and that she would send it. She sent me £50, which is half of what she still owes me.
